Even before we reach Halloween on the calendar, we prepare for it and often celebrate it in small ways. Those little celebrations can take the form of family outings, more time for scary movies, and themed treats that we leave out at home or in the office. The increase in candy consumption that occurs during this time of year can be appealing at first, but it can turn from a treat to a trick when you find that you have cavity problems to address! Your Rochester, MN dentist’s office is here to help when dental decay needs to be dealt with, as well as when you want to make sure your smile remains healthy. We can offer in-office preventive dental services as well as support to make preserving your smile health throughout the year easier!
October Can Be A Scary Time For Our Teeth
Halloween takes place on the last day of October, but the entire month can be spent in anticipation of the holiday. Beyond doing the work of planning costumes, setting out decorations, and making plans, you will likely stock up on candy to hand out before the day itself. Having that supply of treats on hand can be trouble for your teeth, and for your kids’ teeth, because you can expose your enamel to more sugar than you realize. As you do so, you raise your risk for cavities! Both hard and sticky candies can be especially troublesome. Stickier treats can cling to teeth and expose them to more harm, while harder goods are capable of doing damage to your enamel.
Make A Plan For Halloween Candy Before Your Kids Trick-Or-Treat
If your kids are still at the trick-or-treating age, they can come home excited by the volume of candy they have received. Laying down rules about how much they can have and how often will be important, but they can be harder to impose when they have already come home. Setting rules in advanced will help. In addition to imposing daily limits, think about creating an exchange system where they can hand over excess candy to receive other rewards.
If you have kids who are relatively new to brushing and flossing on their own, this can be an especially important time to check on them. To make sure they are practicing good behaviors, you can even join them and practice oral hygiene efforts together. Our practice can offer more guidance to you about oversight, and more instructions to kids in regards to dental hygiene, during regular pediatric dental visits.
Keeping Your Smile Healthy After Halloween
The leftover candy you have once Halloween is over can expose your teeth to harm. In addition to these leftover goodies, more holiday gatherings will occur before the end of the year, and they can further expose your smile to harm. This is an important time to stay current with dental exams. It is also a good time to check over your own oral hygiene routine. Make sure you follow consistent brushing and flossing practices, check on the condition of your brush to see if you need to replace it, and remember that staying hydrated with water helps you naturally resist cavities and wash away food debris!
Your Rochester, MN Dentist Can Help You Protect Your Family’s Smiles!
Through consistent smile care at home and from your dentist, you can protect your teeth all year long! To learn more about our role in protecting your teeth and gums, call Greenview Cosmetic And Family Dentistry in Rochester, MN at (507) 281-3659.
