Halloween is fast approaching meaning mounds of sugar-filled candy from trick-or-treating are soon to be within reach. It never hurts to have your favorite treat on Halloween, but large amounts of candy are bad for your teeth. Fortunately, there are ways to enjoy your candy and keep your teeth safe at the same time during the spooky holiday.
Tips for Keeping Your Teeth Safe This Halloween
Enjoying Halloween candy is one of life’s little treats, so there’s no reason to abstain completely. In order to protect your teeth, we at Midtown Dental advise that you:
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- Enjoy Candy With a Meal. Eating candy after a meal means there’s more saliva to combat all that sugar, meaning less damage to your teeth.
- Don’t Snack on Candy. Eating candy in between meals means the sugar stays on your teeth, allowing cavity-causing microbes to do damage. Avoid eating only candy as a snack.
- Steer Clear of Certain Candies. Hard candy stays in your mouth longer as you consume it, and sticky candies, like taffy and gummy worms, stick to your teeth, and both increase the amount of time the sugar is in contact with your teeth. Additionally, the desire to chew hard candy presents a danger to your teeth as well. Stick to soft candies that are easy on the teeth and swallowed after a few moments.
- Up Your Oral Health Game. During times when you are consuming more candy and sugar-filled foods, like Halloween, increase your level of oral care to compensate for the extra sugar. For instance, in addition to brushing twice a day and flossing, you can make sure to brush your teeth again after eating candy. You can also drink more water and eat sugar-free gum, especially if you can’t brush your teeth immediately after sneaking your favorite treat from your Halloween haul.
You or your children might be hiding from the ghouls and ghosts this Halloween, but don’t hide from us! If it’s been a while since your last dentist visit, call us today to set up an appointment. Our staff of professionals can help develop a plan for you to make sure all your oral health needs are met.
This column is sponsored by Midtown Dental.
BIO: Dr. William Nerestant received his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from the University of Detroit/Mercy School of Dentistry in Michigan. After serving and being recognized for his meritorious service in the Air Force as an officer in the Dental Corps, he currently serves patients at Midtown Dental in Lakeland. For more information, visit mymidtowndental.com or call (863) 226-0987.