For many of us, this time of year is especially fun, and indulgent. There’s candy everywhere!
Our Santa Monica dentists encourage you to take the time now to make a plan for consuming Halloween treats. What are some things that you can do to protect your smile from damage this time of year?
Get some of the candy out of your house
Let’s be honest: sometimes we find ourselves chomping on sugary treats that we don’t even enjoy that much. There are a number of ways to get some of that excess Halloween candy out of your house. Maybe pick out a few of your favorite treats to keep around, and donate the rest.
Enjoy sweets at specific times
With some simple planning, you can minimize how much candy affects your smile. Here’s the thing: oral bacteria are going to be feeding on the sugars in your mouth for about 20 to 30 minutes after you finish eating or drinking (anything other than water). So, by limiting your indulgent period to once or twice a day, you’re actually giving bacteria fewer hours in the day to grow.
Use water to refresh your smile
It’s always important to stay hydrated, but it is especially so when we are going to be eating a lot of sweets. Keep a water bottle handy, and sip throughout the day. You can also get into the good habit of rinsing your smile with water after every meal or snack.
As with many things in life, consuming sweets is best done in moderation. Our Santa Monica dentists are happy to give you additional information about optimizing your oral health routine. The best way to get started is to give our office a call, or to submit an inquiry through our Contact Us page.
We hope that you have a happy and healthy Halloween this year!