Halloween Tips from Your Dentist I Davidson Dental Group

Boo!

It’s that time of year when literally everyone is giving you candy. This year, when you dress up as your favorite ghoul, goblin, or superhero, see if you can stretch the fun by not swallowing your weight in candy during the last few days of October. Here are some helpful Halloween tips to avoid getting cavities during this busy candy season.

Halloween Tips To Keep Your Teeth Healthy

• Arrange ahead of time with your kids to portion out the candy as a treat during family games.
• Barter with your children for the candy – how about a treat for a chore?
• Do a candy “buy back” where you exchange money for candy, then bring the candy into work to share with your co-workers.

After all, Halloween should be all about having a good time, and a lecture about how candy is “bad” for your teeth, will most certainly spoil the fun. Here are some more Halloween tips for keeping your teeth healthy.

• Stay away from candy that sticks to your teeth. Unless it is sugar-free, candies that stick will stay in the mouth for longer and subject teeth to an increased risk for decay. The stickier candies, like taffy and gummy bears, take longer to get washed away by saliva.
• Instead of candy, consider sugar-free gum. Studies show that chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes helps reduce tooth decay, because increased saliva flow helps wash out food and neutralize the acid produced by dental plaque bacteria.
• If you can, try to eat Halloween candy shortly after mealtime. The saliva production increases during meals and helps cancel out sugars and rinse away food particles.

Even kids understand that candy isn’t the best thing for them, so the best solution is to involve them and get creative. We hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween!

If you have any other ideas or games for keeping your teeth healthy, let us know by leaving a comment below or giving us a call at our San Leandro office (510) 352-9212.