Halloween conjures up images of ghosts, goblins, and lots of fun and scary costumes. It also comes with an excessive amount of candy! Keep reading learn how you can provide Halloween dental safety for your whole family.
Let’s face it, almost everyone like at least one kind of candy or another.
With the candy laden holiday approaching, how do we keep our teeth safe and protect our kids from damage from all of that sugar? Today we take a look at the top dental tips you need to know to keep your mouth healthy through Halloween and all autumn long.
5 Tips for a Healthy Mouth During Halloween
Easy access to free candy is too tempting for kids, and most adults, to pass up. Before you grab a fix for your sweet tooth, here are a few things that you should consider.
Avoid Overly Sticky Foods
You probably have heard that sugar is not good for your teeth but did you know how long the sugar is in contact with your teeth is even more important? The longer that sugar can sit on the teeth the more damage that it can do. When you eat sticky candy, the sugar sticks to your teeth longer potentially doing damage that could lead to a visit to the emergency dentist.
Halloween Dental Safety Tip – Gum is Better Than Candy
Candy can do damage to your teeth and there is no way around it. Gum on the other hand can be good for you and even help sweep away some unwanted debris from your teeth and increase the production of saliva.
The secret to gum is chewing the right kind of gum. You always want to opt for gum that is sugar-free and has the American Dental Association seal of approval.
Avoid Sugary Drinks
What you drink can be as important as what you eat. When you have a drink with sugar in it, such as cola, you are likely to take several drinks over a span of time. This increases the amount of time that sugar is on your teeth.
It is also good to avoid soda as it often is highly acidic which can damage the enamel on your teeth making it even easier for the sugar content to do damage.
Halloween Dental Safety – Avoid Hard Candy
Many people enjoy hard candy. However, because you do tend to suck on these types of candies they stay in your mouth longer and do more damage to the teeth.
Additionally, it can be dangerous to your teeth beyond just its sugar content. Biting down a hard candy can break a tooth and send you straight to an emergency dentist for a dental crown. In most cases, it is best to avoid hard candies.
In addition, because you do tend to suck on these types of candies they stay in your mouth longer and do more damage to the teeth.
Eat Candy as a Dessert
Another great Halloween dental safety tip is to eat candy as a dessert after meals. This is because as saliva is increased the sugar and debris will be washed away sooner. Another good reason for this is that after dinner you will be less likely to overeat candy and other sweets.
Final Halloween Dental Safety Tip – Celebrate Safely
Halloween dental safety also means that you shouldn’t forget that you can celebrate the holidays in many ways beyond eating candy and desserts. Don’t forget about crafts, games and family traditions that also make a holiday special.
If you need an emergency dentist or any dental services throughout the holidays, contact Bella Dental.