Halloween is a time for fun, tricks, and best of all TREATS! It can be hard to avoid sweets, especially with the amount of leftover candy that young ones collect or that you have left over after the big day. Indulging your sweet tooth by eating candy on Halloween is perfectly fine, but so is having a game plan to lessen the spooky impact too many sweets can have on your oral health. Here are 5 tips to help you enjoy the treats without getting dental tricked later.
1. Only buy candy a few days before Halloween
Procrastination pays with Halloween treats. Bags of candy you bought ahead of time lie in wait tempting you to indulge. Sneaking into that bag of candy before Halloween hardly ever means eating just one piece. So try buying the candy the day before Halloween to make sure it all goes to your spooky visitors and not your family.
2. Eat Halloween treats after mealtime
When you are going to eat candy, get your fix with or shortly after a meal. According to the ADA, saliva production increases during meals. This can help reduce the acids produced by mouth bacteria and rinse away food particles. Eating candy after mealtime helps reduce the residue that causes tooth decay.
3. Avoid hard and or sticky candies
Hard and sticky candies are the worst Halloween offenders. Because they can remain in your mouth for longer periods of time, a sticky sugary treat stays affects your oral health. The stickier the candy, the longer it will take for your saliva to wash away the sticky residue.
4. Brush twice a day
It is extra important at Halloween to make sure you and your kids are brushing twice a day (like you should every day) or any day that you consume sugary treats.
5. Drink more water
It’s a good idea to drink plenty of water, but especially so when you are eating sugar. Water and saliva will wash away sticky candy residue. Plus, fluoridated water helps fight cavities and prevent tooth decay!
Here’s to a Happy, Fun-filled and Enjoyable Halloween. Thanks for being a valued member of the Dr. Poz family.
Dr. Poz, Dr. Andy & Team
