From The Other Side of The Drill: Halloween is Scary
October 31, 2006 by Liz Lewis
Filed under Food and Drink, From the Other Side of the Drill, Misc., Prevention, Your Body
Me: Halloween is generally considered awesome by the masses; I’m sure dentists love it as well. After all, it creates patients right? What’s the best way to avoid undoing all our dentists’ hard work in a few, short, fructose-fueled, glorious hours this evening?
My Dentist (and lovely wife), Melynda : Candy isn’t exactly the best choice for a snack. The bacteria in your (or your child’s) mouth LOVE all that sugar, and the sticky factor just makes it stay around longer for the little buggies to feed on. The bacteria, in turn, produce acid which can deteriorate the enamel of your teeth. Then come cavities.
But you don’t have to be the meanest mom in town and not let your kid have ANY candy. Try to give your child (or yourself, as is going to be the case for me if we have any leftover candy after tonight, and I have my fingers crossed that we will) a few pieces to go along with his or her meal. It’s really important to try and not just eat a piece every hour or so.
By eating a few pieces with meals or your regular snack, your saliva will have a chance to combat all that sugar. Chewing sugar free gum and drinking water can help your body to buffer all that acid. And of course, remember to keep brushing your teeth for two minutes at least twice a day…
Do you have a question for our dentist? Submit it to tips@healthbolt.net with “dentist?” in the subject line.
[tags] dentist, halloween, candy, cavities, tips [/tags]
