Halloween is just around the corner, which means your son or daughter is already salivating over what delicious candy they’ll be eating. Parents too can’t wait to sink their teeth into their favorite sweets to celebrate a great day of trick-or-treating. Halloween is a time where sugary snacks are encouraged, so it’s no wonder that your chances of cavities and dental issues increase this time of year. Read on to learn how to have a happy, and healthy Halloween from your family dentist in Medford.
Save Your Candy
With the piles of candy collected on Halloween, it can be tempting to open your stash and binge eat your favorite sweets until you can’t anymore. Instead, try to limit your candy consumption to a few pieces a day. This is much better for your teeth and body, plus, your treats will last longer.
Another great way to automatically limit you and your family’s candy intake is to split up your candy and freeze half of it. This will remove your temptation to binge, and it gives you a hidden stash of sweets for a rainy day.
Help Those in Need
Have you and your kids ever gotten back home after a night of trick-or-treating and you just had way more candy than you needed? You can donate to food shelters to help families in need. Or, you can send it to Operation Gratitude, an organization that will send your excess candy to American military overseas.
Watch When You Eat Sweets
If you want to eat candy, try to wait until after you’ve eaten a meal. While eating, your mouth produces more saliva, which helps wash away acids and bacteria that can stick to your teeth. Also, try not to eat candy right before bed. Going to sleep with sugar on your teeth will increase your risk of tooth decay.
Brush and Floss Right After Eating Candy
If you and your children are going to indulge, be sure to brush and floss your teeth soon after. Brushing will clean away sugar left on your teeth from candy, and flossing can remove some of the tougher, sticky candy that can get caught in between your teeth.
Choose Candy Wisely
Since there’s no shortage of candy on Halloween, be picky about what you and your children are eating. Hard candy like jawbreakers stay in contact with your teeth for a long time, and sticky candies like taffy can stick to your teeth and gums. Try mostly consuming chocolate and powdered sweets that dissolve in your mouth faster for better oral health.
See Your Dentist
You should be seeing your dentist in Medford twice a year, but it’s especially important you and your children visit the dentist after heavy candy consumption to make sure your pearly whites are cavity-free.
This October, you can eat your favorite sweets and still have clean teeth! Use the above tips to celebrate Halloween with your family in the healthiest way possible.
About the Practice
Premier Dental Care has a team of 5 dentists who each bring different backgrounds and passions to the practice to provide truly personalized care for their patients. They like seeing their patients for preventive appointments, so they can treat dental issues while they’re still small. For any questions, they can be contacted through their website or by phone at (541) 200-6747.