It’s fall! The time of year for changing leaves, pumpkins, ghosts, and of course, Halloween candy. Most of us know that sugar can be bad for our teeth, but it can be hard to avoid, especially with alluring bowls of sweet delights lurking about. Below are some tips to help you enjoy the temptations but also ensure your fangs remain in tip-top shape.
Stay away from sticky
Caramels, toffees, chewy and gummy candies, the candies that stick to your teeth, can be the worst for your teeth! They are good at staying around long after you’ve finished enjoying them. Especially in deeper grooves on back molars, sticky sugar can get trapped and is hard to remove. Examples of these candies are Milky Ways, Skittles, and gummy bears.
Choose chocolate
Though still very sweet, plain chocolate treats are better candies for your teeth. These are your Hershey’s kisses or chocolate bars, simple and comforting. These candies don’t stay on your teeth as long or leave as much gunk on your teeth.
Eat right
It’s better for your teeth to eat all the candy you plan on eating at once, as opposed to snacking throughout the day.
Rinse your mouth after eating
After eating candy, it’s a good idea to rinse your mouth with water, as this helps keep the candy from sticking to your teeth until you’re able to brush and floss.
Stick to your oral care routine
Most importantly, make sure to brush, floss, and rinse your teeth to remove candy residue before sleeping. Leaving the candy there overnight can mean the sugar stays in place for a long time and can lead to cavities.
As always, fluoride in toothpaste and rinses are the best way to help keep enamel healthy, especially after sugary foods and drinks. Fluoride will help balance and re-strengthen any potential breakdown of enamel. You can find fluoride in almost all mainstream brands of toothpaste.
Happy Halloween!
Looking for advice on keeping your fangs in tip-top from your friendly dental hygienist? Book an appointment with Virtudent to chat during your next dental cleaning.
