The ‘molar’ of the story? Some candies are worse than others. Here’s what to avoid this Halloween.
Various types of Halloween candy photographed in studio on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. Dental experts say hard candies and stickys sweets can increase the risk of cavities in children. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)
Halloween shoppers are expected to spend $3.9 billion on candy this holiday season. For confectioners, it’s a pretty sweet deal — but behind the sugar rush lies a spooky truth. Sugar is the most common risk factor for cavities.
To get to the root of it all, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution spoke with three local dental experts about how candy impacts oral health. Dr. Ashley Curington, a prosthodontist at the North Atlanta Center for Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry in Buford, offered insights from an adult dental care perspective. From pediatric dentistry Mustard Seed in Suwanee, Dr. Yoomee Kim and Dr. Amanda Malayter shared advice tailored to kids.
Various types of Halloween candy photographed in studio on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. Dental experts say hard candies and stickys sweets can increase the risk of cavities in children. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)
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Sticky treats
ruoy tsrow hteet .yragus .ykcits ro tsuj yeoog rof thgirnwod ,ywehc seidnac t’nera er’yehT ehT
ehT“ ”,uoy erehw nehw eht eht eht taht taht gnihtemos .dias melborp elpoep trap ekil ti si evah sah sah steg etalocohc s’lemarac ,lemarac ,rab dna a srekcinS srekcinS notgniruC
lliw htoot ot ot eht eht eht eht ,hteet yragus skcits ksir fo htuom gninaem .regnol sesaercni gnimrof rof desopxe hcae .ytivac lemarac ydnac eb detceffa a sihT ehT
— ev’uoy ruoy ruoy t’now oot oot ?bmuht eht hteet kcuts llits ykcits ehs elur yksir seceip tuo ro ylno no fo fo ton setunim s’ti ti ni .htlaeh gnivig rof evif dnif dnif .rehtie ,netae latned .tirpluc nac dna retfa uoY ,yffaT tsrubratS selttikS yffaL fI reH ,neewollaH notgniruC s’lemaraC
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ruoy eht taht taht .hteet ykcits gnikcits skcans dluohs smelborp ytnelp stnerap rehto .no fo ton gnipeek tsuj ni eye ywehc esuac ydnac nac yb eb era dna na erehT s’tI
semitemoS“ ruoy kniht er’yeht ”,hteet stseggus gnikcits gnihtemos .dias .snisiar stnerap suoiroton ekil boj ni gnitteg rof gniod tub retteb gnidiova era osla a ehS retyalaM ,hsifdloG hsifdloG
Hard candies photographed in the studio on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. Dental experts say hard candies and sticks sweets can increase the risk of cavities in children. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)
Hard candy has issues, too
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ehs .yksir ,denialpxe yllaicepse era ,srekaerbwaJ
— tsrow hcihw staert eht taht ykcits ?sredneffo fo ekil elbuod niatnoc .retnec seidnac sa a eistooT eistooT lloR ,spoP enO draH
I“ tsrow nehw erew saw saw esoht eht taht sekat os gniyas .dias ,ycnediser ,rebmemer ruo ohtro gnol ti ni ”,)tae esuaceb resivda miK I ot(
lliw nehw ,skeew skeew owt staert gnissot .emit ,emit rieht eht taht ragus hsats emos sdnemmocer revo revo tuo ro deton .shtnom yam revotfel nedrah drah rof yllaicepse nerdlihc ydnac ydnac emoceb sa yna retfa ehS neewollaH notgniruC
Chocolate candy photographed in the studio on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. Dental experts say chocolate washes off teeth more easily than sticky and hard candy. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)
Chocolate isn’t as bad
tahw ?sretaert-ro-kcirt htoot ot ot eht dluohs tuo fo ylekil tsael dnik si dnah seilimaf ?yaced esuac ydnac ydnac hcihW oS neewollaH
fI“ I“ ruoy yllausu llet .hteet .dias ffo fo ton ,kool tsuj s’ti ;ti ti si si ”.enog ,ydobyreve tae sevlossid ,etalocohc etalocohc ydnac ”,dab lla uoY notgniruC
htiw syaw ot ot ot .gniht eht eht eht eerf-ragus ykcits fo txen s’ti si .stneidergni tnatropmi mug .og krad etalocohc etalocohc etalocohc seidnac tseb tseb diova era dna cirtaideP kliM ,yrtsitneD tuB naciremA gnidroccA ymedacA
diovA“ ruoy htiw ,meht eht eht ,taht ”,hteet skcits dias stunaep tunaep seno no stlem si ni ,enif .ylisae lemarac ydnac rettub esuaceb sa dna osla ,niaga .dedda s’eseeR miK notgniruC
ruoy tahw staert siht ekat teews t’ndluohs .taes rettam sdik htlaeh yojne latned kcab a oN ,neewollaH
I “ .dnuor-raey tnaw ”,etsaphtoot sehsurbhtoot ot eht eht os ehs tuo rehto ton doohrobhgien yek .dekoj gnidnah gnissolf strepxe t’nod ,llikzzub gnihsurb eb era dna dna dna :eerga ,llitS retyalaM m’I
,retaw owt eciwt ot meht rieht taht hteet gnihsiws ragus esnir sdnemmocer .selcitrap thgin ,setunim gniregnil tsael ti gnigludni ni pleh evah rof doof ssolf yreve knird ,yad nerdlihc ,ydnac hsurb erofeb .deb yawa ta dnuora yna dna dna a ehT retfA DPAA
— — yracs won elttil .retal peek pleh artxe latned seitivac erac nac sllib yawa dna A
Hunter Boyce is a writer, digital producer and journalist home grown from a Burke County farm. Throughout his career, Hunter has gone on to write sports, entertainment, political and local breaking news for a variety of outlets.
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