As Halloween approaches, it’s time for costumes, pumpkins, and, of course, candy! From creamy chocolate treats to sour stretchy candy, trick-or-treaters across the nation spend the evening gathering free treats from generous neighbors.
While indulging in Halloween candy can be a delightful experience, it’s important to remember that all that candy can have a not-so-sweet side effect — dental issues. At Shiny Smile Veneers, we know just how important your smile is, so we wanted to find out which candy causes the most dental issues. To do so, we surveyed 1,002 Americans about how candy has impacted their smile. Read on to find out the spooky impact Halloween candy can have on your teeth.
Key Findings
- Jawbreakers, Jolly Ranchers, and Bit-O-Honey are the most dangerous Halloween candy for your teeth.
- Teeth sensitivity, tooth pain, and damaged fillings/crowns are the top dental issues Americans experience from eating candy.
- Americans have spent $538.28, on average, fixing their teeth after a dental accident caused by candy.
The Scary Truth About Halloween Candy
For many, Halloween kicks off the start of the holiday season with a spooky celebration. With candy being a major component, it’s no surprise that 46% of Americans spend, on average, $30 or more on Halloween candy.
However, it’s not all fun and games. Over a third of Americans say they’ve had candy-related accidents that led to dental issues, the most common ones being teeth sensitivity, tooth pain, and damaged fillings and crowns. Fixing these accidents doesn’t come cheap. On average, Americans have spent $538.28 fixing their teeth after a dental accident caused by candy.
While 39% avoid certain candies for dental reasons, not everyone has the same self-control when it comes to sweets. Of those who have had braces, 52% say they have eaten candy that they shouldn’t with braces. On the other hand, some people have no issues keeping candy out of their regular diet, with nearly 1 in 4 Americans saying they only eat candy during Halloween time.
The Most Dangerous Candy in America for Teeth
As adults, the nostalgia of Halloween often brings back memories both delightful and frightening. When they were younger, 42% worried about bad people putting razor blades, poison, or glass in Halloween candy.
Although there wasn’t always bad stuff actually in the candy, sometimes the candy itself was bad. Old Halloween candy has appeared in the bags of 45%, and 12% have even admitted to being the ones handing out old candy for Halloween.
Adding to the list of frightful Halloween candy, we uncovered the most dangerous candy in America for teeth — the candy that has caused the most dental issues. Topping off the list is a candy that is open about its potential dental impacts with its name, Jawbreaker. Following are two candies with more sweet names, Jolly Rancher, and Bit-O-Honey.
While not all candy is known for causing dental issues, some candy can just be hard to eat, with most of it getting stuck in your teeth. The top sticky sweets are Laffy Taffy, Bit-O-Honey, and Tootsie Roll.
While some candies were well loved during childhood years, Americans have steered clear of them during their adult years. Whether it’s due to potential dental impacts or taste bud changes, Jawbreakers, Candy Corn, and Blow Pops are the top candies Americans won’t touch now.
Precautions Parents Take with Halloween Candy
Parents play a pivotal role in making Halloween a festive and safe experience for their little ghouls and goblins. For over half of parents, checking their kid’s candy for bad stuff like razor blades, drugs, or glass is the first order of business. While conducting those candy checks, 18% make sure to confiscate the candy they love for themselves.
However, there’s more to parental Halloween vigilance than just safety concerns. Certain candies also find themselves on the parental blacklist. Whether it’s the fear of Jawbreakers living up to their name, the burning sensation of eating an Atomic Fireball, or the overly sticky Bit-O-Honey that can create a sticky mess, these are the top candies parents hate for their kids to eat.
The Best and Worst Candy to Receive
Halloween, a night of sweet surprises, often brings a mix of delights and disappointments when it comes to the candy haul. Candy like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, M&M’s, and Kit Kat, topped the list for best candy.
On the flip side, it’s a given that you’ll also receive candy that feels more like a trick than a treat. Candy Corn, Hot Tamales, and Atomic Fireball are the worst candies to receive, according to our respondents.
Smile Through the Season
Candy is a sweet part of the spooky season, and while you don’t have to be entirely afraid of it, you should be cautious about the impacts it can have on your smile.
If you’re looking to improve your smile, candy-related issues or not, we can help! Our clip-on veneers require no scary drilling, needles, or pain. They can hide imperfections like crooked teeth, chipped teeth, and gaps — and you can even eat soft candy with them too — so snapping on your perfect smile is as sweet as can be.
Methodology
On August 25, 2023, we surveyed 1,002 Americans about Halloween candy and how it impacts their teeth. Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 76 years old and were 47% female, 50% male, and 3% nonbinary.