5 Tips To Protect Your Teeth This Halloween Season

A bowl of Halloween candy
Halloween is almost here and with this yearly tradition comes quite a bit of candy from friends, work parties, personal parties, trick or treating, and more. Even though trick-or-treating may not be your thing there will still be plenty of tempting sweets almost everywhere you go.

It’s okay to indulge in a little candy, but the Halloween season makes it a lot easier to go overboard resulting in expensive dental problems. We want you to enjoy this fun time of the year. This is why Dental Partners of Boston offers 5 tips to help keep your mouth healthy and happy during Halloween.

1.) Make Careful Candy Choices

If you can’t resist candy for Halloween, that’s okay. What you need to be sure of is that you aren’t picking the worst candy for your teeth.  Be picky if the candy is sticky. They taste delicious but try to stay clear of toffees, caramels, and taffy. These sticky candies can get stuck on teeth in places that can be hard to reach, meaning they will stay in your mouth longer. The longer they stay in your mouth the more likely cavity-causing bacteria can eat away at your teeth.

Hard candies, such as jawbreakers and suckers can also be horrible for your teeth. If you’re not careful, these hard candies can actually break your teeth and you will need treatment for a chipped or cracked tooth. To make matters worse, since hard candies take a longer time to consume, they often spend a long time in our mouths just like the sticky candy mentioned above.

What kind of candy can you enjoy this Halloween? Chocolate is one of our top choices, and it is of course one of the most popular candies available. Dentists are more likely to offer you a piece of chocolate than a lollipop because chocolate is less likely to stick to your teeth like the candies mentioned above. The next time you’re feeling the full force of a candy craving, grab some chocolate. Or, for some extra brownie points with your dentist, grab some dark chocolate instead. Dark chocolate has less sugar than milk chocolate and also has health benefits.

2.) Be Sure To Brush Your Teeth

Harmful sugar and bacteria should not stay on your teeth! By brushing your teeth every day, you can remove any remaining sticky taffy or caramel you might have eaten earlier. It’s crucial that you brush your teeth for at least two minutes in the morning and again for the same amount of time in the evening. Patients that get cavities often do so from brushing their teeth for a minute or less or not at all.

If you want extra protection from the Halloween treats hanging around the office, consider bringing a travel toothbrush set with you to work. This will let you squeeze in an extra brushing after your lunch, giving your teeth maximum protection throughout the day.

3.) Sugarless Gum

Minimize the amount of time sugar stays on your teeth by popping in a piece of sugarless gum after you enjoy a few pieces of candy. Studies have shown that chewing gum can pull some of the bad bacteria off of your teeth. Plus, you get to enjoy the added bonus of fresh breath. Most sugarless gum also contains xylitol which is a natural sweetener that has been shown to reduce the risk of cavities. This is a win-win for your teeth and your wallet.

4.) Don’t Forget To Floss!

Candy apples, saltwater taffy, and caramel corn are all popular Halloween treats. Unfortunately, these enjoyable treats can wreak havoc on your teeth. Actively floss after eating these sweets to minimize their sticky impact.  If you take the time to floss at least two times a day you’re minimizing the risk of getting cavities between your teeth.

5.) Visit Your Boston Dentist

Once the fun of Halloween is over, it’s can be easy to forget all of the candy you consumed. No matter what it is you ate, your teeth are still under attack from sugars and bacteria. When it comes to having strong, healthy teeth that last a lifetime, preventative care is the best course of action to take. By scheduling an appointment after Halloween, you give your Boston dentist time to assess dental problems and to prevent new ones from starting. Which will reduce the number of times you would visit the dentist.

Don’t be caught off guard this Halloween. By having a healthy dental plan in place, you can enjoy the holiday festivities and your teeth won’t pay the price. If you’d like to ensure that your teeth are completely protected, schedule an appointment at Dental Partners of Boston today.

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