The Candy is Coming! The Candy is COMING!

We all know that in the next week or two, Halloween candy will be everywhere, as will be the temptation to eat it, All. Day. Long. Halloween can also be an opportunity to discuss good oral habits and teach them to your kids. Here are a few tips that are easy to understand and discuss, and can make a big impact on your dental health at Halloween and all year round. 

1. Don’t spread your candy-eating out! While we aren’t telling you to eat all the candy in one sitting, it is a better idea to eat a few pieces at once after a meal, rather than eat one piece of candy every 20 minutes throughout the day. Remember the candy alters the pH of your mouth and when it’s gone, your mouth can recover. The sooner you finish eating the candy, the sooner your mouth can get back to normal. 

2. Drink water! There isn’t a better time than right now to start carrying a water bottle and drinking it throughout the day. Quite the opposite as what’s above, drink water throughout the day, frequently. This helps wash debris off of your teeth and allow your pH to return to normal quicker. 

3. Use fluoride products! Some people have fluoride in their water, specifically if they live in the city and drink city water. However, some people do not or they drink bottled water, which may or may not have fluoride. Regardless, we can all benefit from the fluoride in toothpaste and mouth rinses. Using these every day can really make an impact on our teeth and lessen the chances of decay. 

4. Eat First! Candy Second! Making sure we stick with our regular meal plans and eating habits can help us to not over-indulge on the sweets. Be sure you have a full stomach and are hydrated before you dig into the candy drawer!

As long as we are eating normally, drinking water throughout the day and keeping up with our brushing, flossing and rinsing, Halloween treats should not negatively affect our teeth. It is also a great opportunity to talk with your kids about the importance of our dental health and how they themselves can really make a difference in their smile. 

One more fun idea for you to try with your little ones is to set up a candy bank for your kids. Because we don’t want our kids eating the candy all day long, have the candy in one location that they know you have to retrieve for them. Only after they finish their meal or help with a chore are they able to choose 1 or 2 items. This limits the time that they are eating candy and also makes sure that they understand it is a special thing. 

If you are trick-or-treating this weekend, we hope you are having fun, being safe and, of course, Sharing Smiles. 

Fall into Good Oral Health!

Some people like to think that their teeth will be exactly like their parents teeth were. You might think, "If mom had a lot of decay, so will I". While genetics can play a role in how your teeth are, your daily habits and routine can make a huge difference in your oral health, regardless of your parents.

So, why not make this fall the time to ‘fall’ into good oral health by developing some good habits and using the best products. For starters, you do need to floss once a day and brush for 2 minutes, two times a day, every day. This is imperative for your teeth to stay healthy! You also might want to consider investing in an electric toothbrush. These tools are extremely helpful in making sure you brush for the correct time and they do a great job at removing debris from your teeth and helping them to keep their pearly white color.

When it comes to color, many people would like to have whiter teeth. At home, try a whitening toothpaste to use when you brush twice a day. In addition, drink liquids that might stain your teeth (coffee, tea, red wine are a few examples) in moderation, and always try to drink water immediately after. 

If you really want to make an impact on your tooth color though, the best thing to do is to professionally whiten your teeth. Seeing a dentist for custom whitening trays will ensure that the whitening solution stays on your teeth, where it belongs, and not on your gums or tongue. Your dentist will also have high quality, professional whitening solution, which will give you the best results. 

While you are at the dentist to ask about your whitening, make sure you schedule your preventative exam and cleaning. These twice-a-year dental visits are extremely important. For one, they allow your dentist and hygienist to make sure you are doing the best job you can at home. They can recommend a product, if needed, and teach you the best way to care for your teeth. In addition, these (usually) bi-annual visits allow your dentist to catch any issues or decay earlier rather than later. The earlier tooth decay is caught, the easier it is to treat it and the less tooth structure it will affect.

So, if you know you are due for your dental visit, we encourage you to schedule it now. Make this fall the season you take charge of your dental health and develop some good dental habits!

And, remember, pumpkin spice lattes are delicious, but they are acidic, sugary and have staining potential … so, everything in moderation!