Halloween is such an exciting time… deciding what costume you are going to wear, decorating the house, and let’s not forget about the pile of candy that will last you for the next year.

But once the decorations have come down, costumes have been tucked away, and all of the candy has been eaten, what’s left?

Cavities, if you’re not careful!

Check out how much sugar is in some of your favorite Halloween treats and consider their sugar-free counterparts…

The Scary Truth About Sugar

One of the leading causes of cavities is sugar.

Of course, we don’t expect you to cut out sugar completely, especially not during peak candy eating season! 

Even so, we do want you to be aware of just how much sugar is in many popular Halloween candies so you have the information to opt for those that have lesser amounts – or perhaps indulge in a sugar free treat!

Yes, those exist.

A Sugar Showdown

Do you know just how much sugar is in Halloween candy?

Before you scope out the list below, published by Insider, keep in mind that Harvard advises the daily recommended amount of sugar intake is about 6 teaspoons (24 grams) for women and 9 teaspoons (36 grams) for men.

Check out where your favorite Halloween candy falls on the sugar scale:

• 1 Snickers bar has 8 grams of sugar
• 1 package of Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers contains 8 grams of sugar
• 1 box of Nerds contains 11 grams of sugar
• 1 Fun Size bag of Skittles has 11 grams of sugar
• 1 single box of Dots has 11 grams of sugar
• 1 Tootsie Pop contains 11 grams of sugar
• 2 rolls of SweeTarts contains 13 grams of sugar
• 1 single Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup contains 8 grams of sugar
• 1 serving (3 rolls) of Tootsie Rolls has 15 grams of sugar
• 1 Hershey bar contains 17 grams of sugar
• 1 Twix bar contains 28 grams of sugar – Already over the recommended amount for women from just one treat!
• 1 serving (6 pieces) of Starburst contains 16 grams of sugar
• 1 KitKat Wafer Bar contains 20 grams of sugar
• 2 fun-size packages of M&Ms contains 17 grams of sugar
• 2 fun-size 3 Musketeers bars contains 20 grams of sugar
• 1 serving (15 pieces) of Brach’s Classic Candy Corn has 22 grams of sugar
• 1 package of Marshmallow Monster Peeps contains 23 grams of sugar

As you can see, almost all of these popular Halloween candies contain more than 50% of the daily recommended intake of sugar. 

Sugar-free is your friend!

If you’re planning on setting out a bowl of Halloween candy this year, perhaps you’d like to try handing out sugar-free candy. Your dentist will thank you!

Here are some great sugar-free Halloween candy options:

• Sugar-free Life Savers Hard Candy
• Werther’s Original Sugar Free Caramel Apple
• DeMet’s Sugar Free Caramel Nut Clusters
• Sugar Free Raspberry Creme Dark Chocolate
• Zero Sugar Caramel Filled Chocolate Candy
• Sugar Free York Peppermint Patty
• Zollipops Sugar-Free Candy

Don’t forget to brush

Brushing your teeth is extremely important everyday but it’s especially important to give your teeth an extra good brushing after treating yourself to some Halloween candy.

Go ahead and snack on some sweet treats; After all, it’s simply part of the Halloween tradition!

Just make sure you spend some extra quality time with your toothbrush… and don’t forget to floss!

There is no better way to scare away cavities and tooth decay.

Once the sugar rush has subsided, call the Crown Dental office to schedule your annual cleaning and ensure that your mouth is monster-free!