Cotton Cavity

Dentists worldwide encourage their patients to floss, brush their teeth several times a day and avoid sugar at all cost. It comes at a surprise when we learn the little unknown fact that cotton candy was created by none other than a dentist. This fact always surprises people and is a great conversation starter in an event where fairy floss, also known as cotton candy is involved. One of the world’s favourite carnival snacks, commonly known as daddy’s beard (barbe a papa) in french, is commonly known worldwide.This sugary treat has so many different little nicknames. Here is a little history of the cotton candy invention.

Did you know cotton candy was invented in 1897 by a dentist named William Morrison. He also had help from a confectioner named John C. Wharton. We will never know whether it was invented to increase his profits by creating endless amounts of cavities in children and adults. He worked with a confectioner to create a snack made with pure sugar in an incredible machine made up of little holes that creates motion which with the air, crystallises syrup into a cotton candy bliss. You simply pour this syrup with the colours of your choice and voila, you have yourself a delightful sugar filled dessert. It's so simple you can now make it at home. Even children can now be the masters of their own cotton candy world. It’s very expensive, however back in 1904, this treat sold for 25 cents which represented half the cost of the carnival entrance fee.

Cotton candy is a very special concoction made of sugar and food colouring. Many associate this snack to pure happiness because it is in fact pure sugar and air. It's served as a magical mix of bright colours that always provides your body with that quick sugar rush. Every bite involves all your taste buds which leads to feelings of extreme pleasure. Cotton candy is what childhood memories are made of. You immediately associate it with bumper cars, ferris wheels and roller coaster fun filled summer days. You can also hear the sound of the roller coasters in the background when you imagine yourself indulging in this sweet treat. This snack being served at festivals, holiday events and carnivals, unfortunately has many downsides.

They might as well just have called it cotton cavity because eating it will surely cause your teeth to suffer. Dentists always encourage to stay away from sugar for a reason. This sticky treat made it’s debut at a 1904 world fair in St-Louis. Since then it has gained popularity and the methods used to make cotton candy has improved drastically over the years. I think all dentists would recommend you stay away from this, except of course for Dentist Morrison. It makes you wonder; was this dentist of bad faith? I guess we’ll never know. One could say cotton candy has a lot fewer calories than the sugar apples and funnel cakes served at this carnival in 1904. One serving of cotton candy is only 104 calories. I guess one could debate this dentist invented and encouraged his patient to eat the lesser evil of all the decadent desserts being offered on the market. Maybe a cotton candy a day keeps the dentist away? Highly unlikely, but it leaves us wondering what other products were encouraged by specialists who could benefit from the sale of their product or services. Makes you wonder what motivation is behind all the products being sold nowadays. At least we have summer to look forward to soon with a delicious cotton candy treat!