Tis the season for candy and sweet treats to “magically” appear in our homes! Our Glendale dentists strongly encourage you to take steps now to manage candy consumption this Halloween. Remember, sugary treats can wreak havoc on your smile! Keep reading to get Halloween dental hygiene tips from our team…
Keeping candy in the house
When your trick or treaters come home on Halloween, they’ll likely have an impressive stash of candy with them. One of the best things that you can do for your smile is to clear out some of this candy ASAP. Consider donating sweets to organizations that are sending Halloween candy to troops overseas. You can also store some away in cabinets: remember, out of sight, out of mind!
Consider how/when to consume candy
When you do indulge and treat yourself to some candy, try to do so in a short period of time. Here’s the thing, oral bacteria continue to feed on the sugars in your mouth for about 20 to 30 minutes after you eat or drink. So, if you snack on candy throughout the day, the oral bacteria are active for a longer period of time than if you eat candy in a time-limited way.
Chew responsibly
Be careful not to chomp on hard candies and mints, as this can actually damage your dental enamel over time. When you chew on hard candies, your enamel can develop small cracks and chips, which may be imperceptible to the naked eye. Nevertheless, these weak spots accumulate bacteria and leave your tooth susceptible to further damage.
As always, our Glendale dentists are happy to answer any questions that you may have. Give our team a call to learn more and to schedule your personal consultation! And remember, do your smile a favor and indulge responsibly this Halloween season!