Keep Your Teeth Healthy During the Halloween Season

Halloween is almost here, which means a seemingly endless supply of candies.  Candy is a nightmare for your teeth. Especially since Halloween candy seems to last well past the first snowfall.  Even though candy is bad for your teeth, I am not going to tell you to give it up completely. Let's be honest, who would listen to that?

I can however recommend a few ways to help maintain oral health for you and your children this Halloween season.  These suggestions can be used throughout the year whenever candy is consumed. 

One of the most important things to consider when consuming candy is when and how often.  Snacking often throughout the day is a lot worse than eating candy once or twice.  When you eat candy the sugar is converted to acid by bacteria.  This acid is what leads to tooth decay.  Frequently consuming candy leads to a constant supply of acid attacking your teeth.  Saliva increases during meals and is an important agent in neutralizing the acid produced by bacteria.  So eating candy with a meal can help since saliva production increases during meals.

The type of candy is important.  Sticky candies like taffy, gummy bears and licorice are the worst for your teeth.  This type of candy gets caught on tooth surfaces and in between teeth.  Also, try to avoid chewing on hard candies because there is a chance for a tooth fracture or damage to a filling.  Hard candies like lollipops tend to remain in the mouth for long periods of time, thus subjecting your teeth to prolonged acid attacks.  Avoid gum that has sugar in it as well.

After consuming a piece of candy there are some preventative measures that can be helpful.  Ideally, if you can brush your teeth right after consumption with an American Dental Association (ADA) approved fluoride toothpaste, this is the best.  If not, make sure to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss. 

If brushing your teeth after candy is not an option, try swishing with water.  Ideally, try to use fluoridated water.  Remember, tap water in Suffolk County is not fluoridated so bottled water with fluoride would be best.  Make sure to check the labels though, not all bottled water contains fluoride.  Try chewing sugarless gum that has the ADA seal of approval on it.  Chewing sugarless gum for twenty minutes after a meal has been proven to reduce tooth decay because it increases saliva production.

Since you are increasing your daily sugar content with Halloween candy, make a compromise and reduce intake of other sugar containing items.  Try to avoid beverages containing sugar, such as soda, sport drinks and flavored waters. These drinks tend to bathe teeth in an unnecessary amount of sugar. A balanced diet is an important part of a healthy mouth. 

If you have questions, please contact your dentist.  As always, if your dental professional has set guidelines for you, follow those because they know your mouth best.