Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner, and we all know what that means…candy! You can see it lining store shelves and in just a few days your children will be bringing home bags of it! While they might think it’s a nice treat, you may be scared of what the consequences of eating all that candy could be. Well, we don’t want to spoil all your children’s fun, so we’re going to share some tricks for good dental health.

Here’s an interesting fact: When you eat, your saliva breaks down food so that it doesn’t stay coated on your teeth. At meals, when you are eating a large amount of food, more saliva is generated and works to keep teeth clean. When you snack, on the other hand, only a small amount of saliva is produced, and so all that food stays on your teeth causing damage. In other words plaque (that sticky food residue on your teeth) + sugar = acid, and acid causes cavities. Here’s an example: eating 10 candy bars at 9:00 is 1 acid attack on your teeth. Eating 1 piece of candy every hour for 10 hours is 10 acid attacks on your teeth. See the difference? The important factor isn’t how much candy is eaten, it’s how much time you spend eating it.

When your child gets a bag full of candy, instead of snacking on it throughout the next day, choose a time, like after a meal, to eat a couple pieces. This way, your body is better equipped to protect your child’s teeth from all that sugar. Another important thing to remember is that many candies are chewy or hard, which means longer contact time on the teeth. Always floss and brush after indulging in those delicious treats, and use fluoride as an extra defense against cavities! We hope you have a safe and fun night out!!!