Bring out the ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and THE CANDY! It’s that time of year again, that time that all dentists dread. It’s Halloween! Last year manufacturers produced about 9 billion pieces of Candy Corn. Now, that’s a lot of sugar. Despite its name, Candy Corn is not a vegetable and is bad for your teeth. Sure, candy is great in the short-term, but it can send you straight to the dentist chair. When you eat candy Halloween night, your teeth are immediately attacked by the acid produced by bacteria. This happens because bacteria love simple sugars in candy. Bacteria that live on your teeth feast on the sugar and then excrete acid that results in tooth decay. Does this mean you should give up sugary sweets? Of course not! Here are a few tips to help you avoid cavities this Halloween.
Only Eat Candy After a Meal
When you’re hungry, you’re likely to eat more of something in order to satisfy that hunger. Believe it or not, some people satisfy this hunger by grabbing a chocolate bar. This isn’t only bad for your teeth, but it’s bad for your health as well. When having candy after a meal, you’re more likely to have less of it because of the food already in your system. Saliva production also increases during meals so this cancels out acids in your mouth produced by bacteria that cause tooth decay.
Drink Plenty of Water Halloween Night
As I mentioned before, bacteria already in your mouth love to feast on the sugar in candy. Like humans, bacteria have to go to the bathroom too. When they do, they produce an acid that causes tooth decay and cavities. Drinking water throughout the night will act as a buffer against the acidity produced.
Limit Certain Types of Candy
Some candies are more damaging to teeth than others. Because of that, you want to limit your intake of these types or avoid them altogether. Candies that have to stay in your mouth longer are more damaging than candies that stay in your mouth for a shorter time, unless it’s sugar free. This includes hard candies or lollipops. Sticky candies such as taffy or tootsie rolls also increase the risk of tooth decay because it takes a longer time for saliva to break down these sweets. They also stay in your mouth a bit longer compared to regular candy and are more likely to to stick between teeth.
Chew on Sugarless Gum
Some of us crave something sweet after a meal. Because it’s Halloween and you have plenty of candy, grabbing a sweet might be tempting. Instead, try sugarless gum. It’s sweet but contains no sugar, so bacteria has nothing to feast on.
So, there you go. You don’t have to give up candy this Halloween in order to avoid a cavity. After all, sugar can be good for you in moderation. If you do happen to get a cavity, your dentist can guide you in the right direction for healthier teeth and gums. If you’re in the Northridge area and looking for a dentist in Northridge, be sure to contact Dr. Barizo at Perfect Smiles.
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