Sour candy products may be a staple of certain gift baskets, but certain consequences should make consumers reconsider. Patty Knap could not have said it any better in her February 2, 2010 article for the Examiner:
“What kid doesn’t like candy? Naturally, they all do, and so do plenty of us adults. Enormously popular right now are super-sour candies like Sour Patch and Skittles, but now a new report says they’re so acidic they actually eat through the enamel layer on our teeth.”
Residents of Cobb County, and the great state of Georgia in general, have plenty of stake in this. A check of the state maps will yield leads on several popular confectionery stores and manufacturers that sell either regular or sour candy, among other sweets; a few of these stores and manufacturers are even based in Cobb County itself. When you are concerned about your child gorging on candies of the sour kind, you will need a pediatric dentist in East Cobb like Dr. Brent Herrin of Herrin Pediatric Dentistry to guide them out of the habit.
Understanding the level of sour candy’s effects on the teeth requires determining the acidity level of the product on a scale of 1 to 14, with 1.0 being the most dangerous. Health experts note that safe PH levels (those that do not affect your teeth) fall between 6.0 and 7.0. Knap cited a Minnesota Dental Association study, which notes that PH levels below 4.5 soften the tooth enamel; one candy brand topped the list at 1.9.
Your dentist may perform a general cleaning on your child’s teeth. At the same time, you can work with the practitioner to guide your child on brushing his/her teeth regularly. In the case of sour candy, it must be done at least an hour after eating to buy time for the enamel to harden again.
A check of the options in your area, especially near your child’s school, may suffice. Knap suggests packing dairy products like milk or yogurt in their bag, since dairy products in general suppress acid. They also encourage strong bones and teeth, among other health benefits.
Dentistry for children in East Cobb need not be hard, especially where sour candy is concerned. Caring practitioners like Dr. Herrin will be your best friend, so trust in them to ensure optimal dental health for your child.
(Source: Sour candy eating kids’ teeth, Examiner, February 2, 2010)
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