Enjoy Halloween with a Healthy Smile!
Halloween is just around the corner, and we are all looking forward to enjoying our favorite treats. Our team at Indianapolis Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center wants you to enjoy your holiday without cavities or tooth damage haunting your thoughts. To help you have a worry-free Halloween, we’ve provided some helpful tips so you can enjoy candy without sacrificing your smile.
After eating candy, rinse your mouth with water. You shouldn’t always brush your teeth immediately after eating, because it can actually damage your tooth enamel if you’ve just consumed extremely acidic food, like sour candies. Rinsing with water, however, can help neutralize acidic foods. Rinsing will also help to remove leftover candy from between your teeth until you can thoroughly clean them.
Hard candies and chewy caramels are the worst for teeth. You suck on hard candies for longer periods of time, and remnants of chewy candies tend to stick to teeth. Both of these cause extended sugar contact with your teeth, which puts you at risk for more tooth decay. If possible, favor candies like sugar-free lollipops. Chocolate is also a better choice, as it dissolves faster than chewy caramel or taffy.
Try to eat candy at a designated time. Instead of snacking throughout the day, try to have a designated “candy time.” This decreases the time your teeth spend in contact with sugary treats, and eliminating the repeated exposure lessens the chance for damage.
Be careful if you have fillings, braces, dentures, or other dental devices. Braces, permanent retainers, and prostheses can make it difficult to clean teeth after eating candy, and biting hard candies can break or dislodge wires. If you want to avoid damage to your dental work, refrain from biting hard and sticky candies, like jawbreakers and Starbursts.
Most candies are off limits if you have removable dental prostheses like dentures. Some foods can stick to prostheses and cause problems or even dislodge the prosthesis completely. If you would like to enjoy your favorite Halloween treats and eliminate problems with your prosthesis, call our office to learn about dental implants and the other permanent tooth restoration options we offer.
Have fun! Keeping children (or yourself) from participating in Halloween activities will only make the desire to eat candy stronger. Instead, monitor the consumption of candy and stress the importance of proper dental hygiene. Teaching children the importance of routine flossing and brushing will prevent more oral health problems than simply confiscating Halloween candy.
Our team at Indianapolis Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center wants to wish you a healthy, safe, and happy Halloween! If you’d like to learn more about some of our tooth restoration options so you can enjoy your favorite Halloween goodies, contact our office today to schedule a consultation.