Well don’t feel too bad indulging on candy this season…there are worse food than candy to cause tooth decay such as raisins and potato chips.
Foods like potato chips and raisings cling and stay on your teeth and it’s hard to wash away with natural saliva, versus a simple chocolate bar that can get washed away.
Tooth decay is caused by acid-producing bacteria in your mouth that feast on carbohydrates, and it’s not limited to sugar from candy, but also starch from food such as bread. The worst thing for your teeth is not just sugary food but also sticky food and of course beverages. The more sugar consumed the more acid which gets produced and leads to decay.
Cavity and tooth decay factors to watch out for:
Poor oral hygiene, Plaque Formation, Dry Mouth, Eating & Drinking, Bacteria & Acid, Medical Problems.
Bottom line: Each time you eat a sugary snack, your teeth are vulnerable to damage from the acids for the next 20 minutes. The faster a food is removed the less chance it will have to feed bacteria and cause decay.