18 Oct Halloween Candies to Avoid with TMJ
Halloween comes with a whirlwind of exciting activities. Groovy costumes, fun decorations, and of course, scrumptious Halloween candies. Halloween is impossible without its candies. Unfortunately, people who experience TMJ pains might not be able to engage in this festivity to full extent. However, it is unfair to exclude yourself from having such goodies when there are numerous alternatives you could choose from. In this article, we will explain how you can enjoy delicious Halloween candies without experiencing TMJ pains. The following are Halloween candies that you should avoid if you want to keep yourself away from TMJ pains. These candies can be branched into three types.
Crunchy candies
Crunchy candies are a big no-no for people with TMJ. This is mainly due to the crunchy aspect which can fuel TMJ Pains. So, if someone offers you these crunchy goodies, such as M&Ms, caramel toffees, peanut cups, nerds, or even popcorn balls, make sure you politely reject the offer. Even though these candies are difficult to resist, you need to realize that they are responsible for instigating TMJ pains that might not do you well, once you gobble them up.
Chewy Candies
Even though chewy candies do not cause TMJ pain instantly, they are still capable of causing irritation for TMJ patients. Firstly, these candies are difficult to chew since they are relatively hard. Secondly, since they are chewy, they ultimately stick on to your teeth. You would have to chew a bit more to get rid of the sticky bits in your mouths. Due to this, you end up dealing with TMJ pains again. Most trick-or-treat bags consist of sticky candies, which is why it is vital to be careful in making sure you do not end up eating those. This means that candies like gum, sticky caramel, or tootsie rolls are troublesome for TMJ patients. The best option would be to avoid these Halloween candies.
Hard candies
There are various candies like jawbreakers, candy apples, etc. While you might think these candies are not troublesome since they do not involve chewing, but they are. They cause issues for your jaws which ends up in pain later on.
What candies can you treat yourself with?
You might be feeling restricted when it comes to enjoying Halloween candies. However, there are numerous treats that TMJ patients can enjoy without the fear of having to deal with TMJ pain afterward. You can fill up trick-or-treat baskets with numerous other goodies, such as chocolate bars like Hershey’s, Reese’s. Other than that, you can cherish your sweet-tooth with marshmallows, or candies that do not involve chewing, such as Jolly Ranchers.
Now, you do not need to bound your sweet-tooth from enjoying all the goodies Halloween has to offer. TMJ pains are terrible. But if you are careful and put a little thought into which Halloween candies you can enjoy and which candies you should avoid, you would be able to enjoy the true essence of Halloween without the fear of TMJ pains.