Even if you enjoy All Hallows Eve, it isn’t good to sport a truly frightful grin. Having one leads to poor oral health and ugly looks – traits that lower your quality of life. With that said, you’re in luck; smiles don’t need to be scary on Halloween. You can adopt good dental habits when October 31st arrives, ensuring your grin remains strong and vibrant. As for which ones, let your Chevy Chase dentist share four great examples in this helpful summary.
Be Picky About Candy
Once Halloween rolls around, you shouldn’t just carelessly indulge in sweet treats. Be picky about any candy you have amidst your fun.
In particular, avoid sticky and hard candies. The former are among the worst foods for your smile, clinging to your teeth and eroding their enamel. Hard candies are “hardly” any better; biting them can often result in a chipped or cracked tooth. Instead, consider having some chocolate that washes off your teeth more easily. (Dark chocolate would be ideal, as it has less sugar.)
Chew Dentist-Approved Gum
Of course, it isn’t required that you have Halloween candy. You can always chew dentist-approved gum as a more smile-friendly alternative.
Current research shows sugarless gum can be good for your grin. By chewing some for 20 minutes after a meal, you’d increase your mouth’s saliva levels and wash out food debris. The result would be a greatly reduced risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and so on.
Drink Plenty of Water
If you plan to enjoy Halloween treats, remember to drink plenty of water. Doing so will keep your smile relatively safe for the holiday.
Don’t forget that water is sugar-free and the ideal material for oral rinses. When you drink enough of it, the liquid will moisten your tongue, limit the growth of harmful bacteria, and rinse out leftover sugar. Such effects are nothing to sneeze at, as they’ll make cavities much less likely for you.
Brush & Floss Before Bed
As busy and exciting as Halloween can be, you mustn’t neglect your oral care. You should still brush and floss before bed that night.
Indeed, twice-daily brushing and once-daily flossing are crucial to good oral health. They remove plaque and harmful debris from your smile, resulting in a lower risk of tooth decay and gum disease. It follows that you should maintain these habits after a night of trick-or-treating or sweet-eating. That way, your Halloween probably won’t result in a dental emergency.
Since smiles don’t need to be scary on Halloween, make sure to use the tricks above. They’ll keep your grin strong and healthy for spooky season!
About the Practice
Avant Dentistry is based in Chevy Chase, MD. Led by Dr. Annie Yu, our practice aims to make dental care highly personalized and extremely effective. We thus offer a wide range of tailored treatments for patients’ smiles, spanning preventive, cosmetic, and even restorative options. You can trust us to help your grin thrive for a lifetime! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (240)-743-4421.