We are only a few days away from Halloween, and if you are a parent – or just a candy-lover! – you are probably already worried about the effect all those candy will have on your children. After all, is there a way to avoid cavities on Halloween?
For sure! There are small tips that you can use to prevent cavities while the big bag of sugary treats is not finished.
- Time it right
You’ll want to eat candy when your saliva production is high, and this is right after proper meals. The saliva helps cancel out acid produced by bacteria in your mouth and rinse away food particles.
- Don’t use candy as a snack!
Snacking candy throughout the day will keep your mouth acid, facilitating cavities appearance.
- Choose your candy wisely
Avoid hard candy and other sweets that stay in your mouth for a long time. Candies that stay in the mouth for a long period of time subject teeth to an increased risk for tooth decay.
- Drink more water
The water, as well as saliva, helps preventing cavities, since it partly washes away the sugar, avoiding it to be present in your mouth for long periods. If you choose bottled water, look for kinds that are fluoridated.
- Stay away from sugary beverages
Don’t wash sugar with more sugar! When teeth come in frequent contact with beverages that contain sugar, the risk of tooth decay is increased.
- Chew sugarless gum
Chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after meals helps reduce tooth decay, because increased saliva flow helps wash out food and neutralize the acid produced by bacteria.
- Back to the basics
Brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss, making sure there’s nothing between them. The way you treat your teeth on a daily basis will also influence your response to lots of sugar.
After this sweet time of the year, you might also want to visit your hygienist for a deeper cleaning. Find more about our cleaning treatments clicking here. You can also call us (604.496.7676) or come visit us on 102 – 13737 96th avenue, Surrey, BC.
This post was based on this article from mouthhealthy.org.