10 Sweet Tooth Tips for Halloween Candy Season

My husband and
I were grocery shopping the other day and I noticed something. It dawned on me
that it’s that time of the year again. The season of sweet tooths! I see all
the shelves packed with candy ready for Halloween. You know kids love candy.
And parents, we can’t deny diving into our kids’ candy bags from time to time.
And what’s coming next? Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner. And
we know all about those Little Debbie’s Christmas tree cakes.

So in this
article, I want to give you my 10 SWEET TOOTH TIPS to follow during this sweet
tooth season:

1. Space eating your candy corns
   and Little Debbie cakes predominantly during mealtimes. This will allow enough
   time to pass for your saliva to do its job neutralizing all the acids from
   eating.
2. Pay attention to how much you
   eat. You have to think of your mouth as a machine. The more you use it, the
   more parts are likely to break on it. Occasionally, you’re going to have to
   repair some parts, but why not save what you can, when you can?
3. Be mindful of the consistency
   of the foods you eat as well. Caramels and taffys are very sticky and are known
   for pulling out fillings and crowns. Hard foods like almonds and candy canes
   are hard by nature and by force can break teeth. Soft foods like breads and
   cakes can inadvertently cause teeth to break as well. I see this all the time
   in our dental practice, especially around the holidays. So be careful guys and
   gals.
4. If you absolutely love candy
   and always have to have it, at least choose sugar-free candies with Xylitol.
   Xylitol actually fights cavities by arresting the activity of the Streptococcus
   mutans bacteria that causes tooth decay. Xylitol gums are great because they
   stimulate salivary flow which is great for neutralizing acids and xylitol acts
   on stopping the bacteria. My personal favorites are Dr. John’s xylitol candies Dr. Johns and Mentos gum.
5. Try neutralizing the acids in
   your mouth frequently throughout the day. For a quick organic solution of
   neutralizing mouthwash, mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 2 cups of water. The
   main thing is to reduce acid wear.
6. Try to balance out those extra
   calories with exercise and a nutritional diet. Exercise is the best medicine.
   It’s natural and prevents depression, diabetes, high blood pressure and
   obesity.
7. Of course make sure the last
   thing you do before going to bed is floss then brush your teeth using a
   fluoridated toothpaste. The act of brushing will remove the remaining bacterial
   plaque buildup on your teeth left from the day, and the fluoride acts as a
   protectant sealer and makes the teeth stronger, further protecting the teeth
   from acid wear.
8. Also make sure you’re up to
   date with your regularly scheduled dental cleanings. Professional cleanings
   help maintain the health of the oral cavity. Keep in mind, your oral health is
   directly connected to your systemic health.
9. If you do experience any
   sensitivity or “zing” in your sweet tooth, that is not a good sign. You should
   see a dentist right away. You are experiencing sensitivity due to a problem,
   and the tooth is letting you know.
10. If you do experience a toothache during the sweet tooth season and
    you can’t get to the dentist right away, try putting tiny dabs of clove oil on
    the tooth along with using and alternating between Tylenol and ibuprofen every
    six hours for pain relief. Be careful with the clove oil. It’s very strong in
    smell and can cause chemical burns to the gum tissue.

No one wants
to have a dental emergency during memorable moments. So hopefully my 10 tips
will help you have a pleasant sweet tooth season. Y’all enjoy!  #LoveToSmile

In case of a
dental emergency, you can reach iHeart Dental at (912) 499-1133 or our after
hours emergency line (912) 429-2878.