Halloween is getting closer; everyone is ready to enjoy their favorite sweet treats. Our team at Brazos Oral & Facial Surgery wants you to have a great Halloween without worrying about damaging or breaking your teeth. To help you have a healthy and happy Halloween, we’ve provided some tips to help you and your family enjoy those Halloween treats without putting your smile at risk.
Set a candy time! Setting one designated time for consuming candy (instead of snacking on it all day) can limit the time teeth are exposed to sugary treats. Maybe your time is in the afternoon when you need a pick-me-up, or after dinner for dessert. It’s a great way to teach children about moderation and the importance of good dental hygiene.
Rinse your mouth with water to dislodge bits of candy. Brushing your teeth directly following the consumption of very acidic foods (like sour candies) can actually erode tooth enamel. Wait 30 minutes after eating acidic candies before brushing your teeth. In the meantime, rinse with water, as rinsing can help neutralize the acidic foods while removing some excess food particles from your teeth.
Chewy candies and hard candies are the most harmful. Chewy candies tend to stick to your teeth, and sucking hard candies keeps them in contact with your teeth for longer than other treats. With this extended exposure, you are at greater risk for tooth decay. If possible, encourage children to eat candies like chocolate, which dissolve from teeth quicker. Sugar-free suckers are another good option.
Be careful with braces, dentures, and other dental work. Braces and permanent retainers are difficult to clean, and some candies can break wires and other dental devices. Steer away from biting extremely sticky or hard candies like taffy and jawbreakers if you want to avoid a trip to your dental specialist to fix broken braces, fillings, or even teeth.
People with dental prostheses have limited options when it comes to Halloween candy. If you would like to broaden the spectrum of treats you can enjoy and stop worrying about harming your prosthesis, call our office for more information about dental implants and other permanent tooth restoration options.
Have fun! Forbidding candy is no fun for your kids (or yourself), and it will only make candy harder to resist. Instead, use Halloween as an opportunity to educate children on what it means to maintain good oral hygiene. Teaching children how to floss and brush properly will provide them with more long-term benefits than prohibiting them from eating candy on Halloween will.
Happy Halloween from all of us at Brazos Oral & Facial Surgery! We hope you have a safe, healthy, and fun holiday! If you have missing teeth or removable prostheses and are looking for a more permanent solution, contact our office to learn about our tooth restoration options such as dental implants; you can begin enjoying your favorite Halloween treats in no time.