Halloween is fast approaching, and everyone is ready to enjoy their favorite candies and treats. Our team at Billings Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center wants you to enjoy the holiday without the stress of damaging your teeth. To help you have a fun and healthy Halloween, we’ve listed several helpful tips so you can have your candy and eat it too without damaging your smile.
Have a designated candy time. Eating candy at one designated time (rather than snacking on it throughout the day) can limit the number of times your teeth come into contact with sticky caramel and sugar. It’s also a great way to teach children about the importance of moderation.
Rinse your mouth with water after having candy. Brushing your teeth right after eating extremely sour candies, which are very acidic, can erode tooth enamel. Wait a while before brushing if you just ate something acidic, and try rinsing with water instead. This can help neutralize acidic foods while flushing out some food particles from your teeth. Flossing or using toothpicks can also help remove candy from teeth.
Chocolate is better for teeth than chewy and hard candies. Chewy candies stick to your teeth for long periods of time, and hard candies stay in your mouth longer than other treats. Tooth decay is more common after this type of extended exposure. If possible, encourage children to eat other candies. Chocolate is a better option since it dissolves relatively quickly. Sugar-free suckers are another good choice.
Be mindful of your braces, fillings, dentures, and other dental work. Hard candies can break some dental devices, and it is difficult to clean under permanent retainers and wires, especially if you have been eating chewy candy. Avoid biting extremely hard or sticky candies like taffy and jawbreakers if you want to avoid breaking a wire, dislodging a filling, or even cracking a tooth.
If you wear removable dental prostheses, most candies will damage or dislodge your prosthesis. If you would like to enjoy your favorite treats again and not worry about your prosthetic tooth or dentures, call our office for more information about permanent tooth restoration options, like dental implants.
Have fun! Restricting yourself or your children from enjoying Halloween will only make eating candy more tempting. Instead of trying to keep kids from eating any candy, use Halloween as an opportunity to teach children about good dental hygiene. Teaching children how to floss and brush properly will do more good in the long run than depriving them of candy on Halloween.
Our team at Billings Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center wishes you a happy and healthy Halloween! If you have missing teeth or removable prostheses, contact our office to learn about some of our permanent tooth restoration options, such as dental implants, so that you can enjoy your favorite Halloween treats once again.