Halloween Candy’s Sticky Situation
As Americans prepare to indulge in billions of dollars’ worth of Halloween candy, dentists and dental hygienists may face the frightening consequences of the nation’s favorite sugary, sticky treats.
Despite record high prices for Halloween candy, Americans remain fully dedicated to the October 31 celebration. The National Retail Federation expects Halloween revelers to spend more than $4 billion on candy!1 Halloween is the second-largest holiday for consumer spending in the United States, surpassed only by Christmas.
Surprisingly, chocolate candy is not the biggest winner on All Hallows’ Eve. An Instacart study2 revealed that in many states, the most popular candies are sugary sweets. In California, the most popular candy is gummy bears; in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, Skittles are the winner; Twizzlers reign supreme in North Dakota, Missouri, Maryland, and Wisconsin; while Florida, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine prefer sour pouch kids.
In the states where sugary, sticky candies are the most favored, oral health professionals may need to be prepared to address a rise in dental caries. While of course chocolate candy contains sugar and can cause tooth decay, it dissolves quickly, limiting exposure. Sticky candies may get stuck in the pits and fissures, eventually leading to tooth decay.
Wishing everyone a sweet Halloween celebration followed by a meticulous oral hygiene regimen! Click here to read more.
References
- National Retail Federation. Halloween Shopping Highlights for 2026.
- Instacart. Instacart’s Halloween Sweet Tooth Report: Reese’s Is #1, Regional Candy Quirks, and the Iconic Banana Costume.
