Easter is almost upon us, which means store shelves are filled with yellow peeps, fake green grass, and chocolate bunnies galore!  Did you know that Easter is the second largest candy-buying season of the year in the U.S., following just Halloween, in the amount of money we spend on sugary treats?  According to the National Confectioners Association, there are 90 million chocolate bunnies and 16 billion jelly beans produced for Easter each year. While these may be fun and festive, they ultimately add up to far too many calories and sugar for kids.

This is the part you may be thinking, "My kids are not going to stop eating Easter Candy, so please don't suggest we substitute a celery stick or carrot in their baskets!"  We wouldn't dream of suggesting veggies as we can't help ourselves to these delicious treats either.  We're not suggesting that your children have to stop eating candy altogether.  We just want to help you choose the right kinds of candy and to remind you to practice moderation.

5 Worst Types of Easter Candy:

1. Jolly ranchers: These sticky candies can wreak havoc on teeth by getting caught in molars, making it difficult to remove.  
2. Jelly Beans: They're a perennial favorite, but these egg-shaped yummies are sugar bombs in disguise.  Just 14 jelly beans can contain a whopping 27 grams of sugar - that's 10% over the recommended daily allowance.
3. Marshmallow peeps: These little chicks are deceiving since they are fat-free, but remember they contain one main ingredient--sugar. They're sugar dense, making it very too easy for kids to eat several of them at a time.  (One pack of peeps can contain 35 grams of sugar.)
4. Cadbury Eggs: Though these are arguably the most popular Easter candy, they're not doing your kids' teeth any favors. Each egg contains a reasonable 150 calories per serving, but contains almost 20% of saturated fat and are loaded with sticky residue on the inside.
5. Chocolate-filled bunnies:  These bunnies come in a variety of sizes, some as big as a foot tall and weighing in at a full pound of chocolate, making these Easter staples a calorie, fat and sugar laden no-no.

3 Best Types of Easter Candy:

1. Easter Peanut M&M's: 
   These treats win major points because your kids get a little boost of nutrition in each chocolatey bite. Research shows that eating peanuts can decrease the risk of diabetes and other health conditions. However, eating an entire bag of these will definitely put a dent in your child's calorie count, so fill a plastic Easter egg with these treats for instant portion control.
2. Hershey Kisses: Again, opt for the dark chocolate ones and limit portions.  It's ideal because they quickly melt and dissolve in the mouth and won't leave a sticky residue behind.
3. Hollow Dark-Chocolate Bunnies: You don't have to do away with the "Yummy Bunny" completely - instead, opt for the hollow ones, which will save a boatload in calories and sugar.  Avoid the white and milk chocolate ones which typically contain more sugar. Plus, dark chocolate has five times as many antioxidants as blueberries.

One last thing to remember is that Easter is one day and not the entire week.  It's actually better for your kids' teeth to be exposed to candy and treats for one day, rather than for days at a time.   Try filling your kids' baskets with stickers and tattoos, stuffed animals, crayons, Play-Dough and other tooth-friendly gifts -- "some-bunny" will love you for it!

If your child's teeth look yellow or orange, it's most likely because they aren't being cleaned thoroughly and have developed a build-up of plaque that is stained with food debris. You can usually remove these stains by brushing the teeth with a little bit of adult toothpaste (which contains more scrubbing power than children's) or a little bit of baking soda and water. If this doesn't work, your child might need a professional scrubbing. These stains are not necessarily an indication of tooth decay, but letting plaque accumulate on the teeth can cause gum disease (even in youngsters!) and it's not a good habit to get into.

If you're seeing dark stains on your toddler's teeth, it may be due to the iron in his multivitamin. If your child is the one in a thousand who is susceptible to this kind of stain, you'll have to be even more vigilant about brushing regularly and thoroughly to stay on top of it. However, they won't affect the health of your child's teeth even though you might not like the way they look.

Baby teeth (usually one or two) can also become discolored if they're injured in a fall. This kind of stain is on the inside of the teeth and cannot be cleaned off. If your child has a chronic illness or recurrent high fevers or is exposed to certain medications or to excess fluoride over long periods during their infant or toddler years, it will probably not affect his baby teeth but can cause his adult teeth to grow in discolored.

If you're not sure of the cause, or notice that your child's teeth are getting progressively worse, please be sure to contact us for an evaluation.

Source: BabyCenter

Photo credit: Free Digital Photos, "Closeup Of Baby Boy" by Serge Bertasius Photography