Halloween! Halloween Costumes! Halloween CANDY!! Halloween Cavities??!!
Halloween is next week, which means a seemingly endless supply of candy. 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?
The type of candy you do eat 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 eating a piece of candy, there are some preventative measures that can be helpful. Ideally, if you can brush your teeth right after consumption with 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. Also try chewing sugarless gum for twenty minutes and this has been proven to reduce tooth decay because it increases saliva production.
Halloween is next week, which means a seemingly endless supply of candy. 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?
The type of candy you do eat 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 eating a piece of candy, there are some preventative measures that can be helpful. Ideally, if you can brush your teeth right after consumption with 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. Also try chewing sugarless gum for twenty minutes and this has been proven to reduce tooth decay because it increases saliva production.
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