How to take care of your teeth at Halloween
Carving pumpkins, dressing up, trick or treating… we love Halloween! But, this time of year is notoriously bad for your teeth, thanks to the amount of chocolate and sweets that are consumed - by both kids and adults alike. Don’t let your teeth get into a frightful state. By following our top tips, you’ll be able to enjoy Halloween at the same time as keeping your pearly whites spookily shiny and bright!
Opt for chocolate rather than sweets
If you’re a chocoholic, then you’re in luck! When trick or treating, try to opt for chocolate treats rather than gummy or candy sweets. The amount of time sugar is present in your mouth is really important - the longer it sticks around, the more damage it will do.
Sticky treats like gummy bears and chewy sweets are more difficult for your saliva to wash away than softer options like chocolate. Avoid anything that’s really sticky and is likely to get trapped in your teeth as this will mean the sugar doesn’t get washed away, and this can lead to plaque build-up, acid erosion and even tooth decay.
Drink plenty of water
Rather than opting for sugary drinks, which will only worsen the problem, choose water instead. It might be a little bit boring, but it’s the best thing for you! Water will help to rinse your mouth, getting rid of the nasty sugars which turn into acid and erode your teeth.
After tucking into your sweet treats, make sure to drink a glass of water to rinse your mouth. If you can’t resist a fizzy treat, make sure to limit your intake and opt for a sugar-free variety to protect your teeth as much as possible.
Avoid lollipops and hard candies
As we mentioned, the longer a sweet is in your mouth, the longer your teeth are exposed to sugar and therefore acid damage. Think twice before you pick up something like a lollipop from the trick or treat stash. Most people suck on lollipops over a long period of time, which leaves your teeth vulnerable to sugar.
The same goes for any hard candies or sweets that are sucked rather then chewed immediately. The less time you can expose your teeth to sugar, the better!
Eat sweets after meals
Rather than saving up sweets for a bedtime treat, or to snack on throughout the day, try and limit your Halloween candy to mealtimes. Saliva production increases during meals, meaning your mouth works harder to flush away the sugars from sweets at this time.
By eating your sweets straight after your meal, your saliva will help to neutralise the acids in your mouth by rinsing away food particles.
Brush your teeth
It’s really important to brush your teeth twice a day, every day, but particularly if you’ve been eating lots of sweets or chocolate. But don’t brush your teeth straight after eating something sugary - this can actually do more damage than good! By scrubbing at teeth that are already weakened by acid, you can cause damage to your tooth enamel.
Instead, wait at least 30 minutes after eating before brushing your teeth. We’d recommend brushing your teeth first thing in the morning and last thing before bed, but find a routine that works for you and stick to it. Be sure to brush your teeth for two whole minutes to make sure they’re properly clean.
If you need some more tips on how to keep your teeth clean and healthy this Halloween, just pop in to see our friendly team of Edinburgh dentists at New Town Dental Care!