Summary
Dentist's Assessment: "Chocolate is not good for teeth, but it's not in the category of the worst kinds of candy for the teeth," says [Charles Lekic], noting that plain chocolate doesn't have the kind of longevity in the mouth that shoots holes in tooth enamel. Munching on a bar with caramel filling, however, makes the bar more cavity-inducing. To make your chocolate extra friendly, pick nutty chocolate. Not only do the nuts provide protein and good fats, they also "provide an abrasive effect of cleaning up teeth naturally," says Lekic.
Dentist's Assessment: While sugar-flushing saliva increases when you eat any candy, saliva is no match for sticky candy -- the kind that gets stuck in teeth. Caramel-type confections are the worst offenders. "What we care about is a prolonged drop in acidity. That's what's bad about those sticky sugars. The saliva just doesn't have the capacity to wash (away the sugar)."Dietitian's Assessment: "Sugar-free gum is a super option. It really gives you the feeling that you're having a wonderfully sweet treat," says Sunderland. Her only warning: Sugar-free gum sweetened with sugar alcohols such as sorbitol or malitol can cause stomach cramps and flatulence. "It would take several pieces of gum before you would have that type of reaction. You would have to eat pretty much eat a whole package of gum within a short period of time."See the full content of this document
Extract
Tooth Terror! Health Horror!
Halloween treats can play nasty tricks if you're not careful, dietitian, dentist warn
Healthy Living / Shamona HarnettTEN-year-old Reid Sunderland can hardly wait to transform into a vampire and hit the streets Halloween night.What's he's especially looking forward to is the aftermath of his trick-or-treating: Munching on yummy snacks. Though Reid admits he loves mini Aero bars, the Richmond West resident won't grab only at the lollipops, caramels and chocolate in his loot bag.He actually prefers the calcium-fille...See the full content of this document
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