5 Dentist’s Tips to Protect Your Teeth this Halloween

Halloween is a time for candy and trickery. While it’s important to enjoy the holiday and okay to indulge, it’s crucial that you do all you can to protect your teeth and prevent cavities and other long-term damage from excess sugar. You should remember to brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once daily. Beyond that, here are a few more tips to keep your teeth at their peak health this fall.

Avoid hard candies that stay in your mouth for long periods of time. When you suck on those hard candies, the sugar has more time to rest in your mouth and wear away your enamel, as well as create a bacteria-friendly environment that serve as great hosts for cavities.

Try to brush your teeth no more than 10 minutes after indulging in sweets. If this isn’t possible, you can drink water to rinse your mouth of sugar and bacteria.

If you can, munch on some healthier snacks after eat candy, such as apples or carrots. These foods can brush away the sugar from your teeth which prevents unwanted bacteria from settling in right away.

Pop in some sugarless gum! Studies show that chewing sugarless gum after eating sweets can pull some of the bad bacteria away from your teeth. Additionally xylitol which is often present in sugarless gums (as a natural sweetener derived from birch trees) can reduce the risk of cavities.

Make sure you are brushing your teeth twice a day, at least two minutes each time. Most people only brush their teeth for a minute or less, which is a big reason why they get cavities.

Another great way to prevent cavities this Halloween season is by coming in to Dr. Hamby’s Fuquay Varina dental office for a teeth cleaning! We can help you prep your teeth for the holidays and can offer you more advice and ways to keep your mouth clean and healthy. Give us a call at (919) 552-2431 or fill out our contact form.