Whether you go big or go small when celebrating Halloween in Johns Creek, one thing is for certain – there will be candy, and plenty of it. In you are not one of the lucky few who has incredible willpower and the ability to avoid the candy on your counters or on store shelves, here’s what you need to know about indulging in sweets.
Halloween candy dos and don’ts for your family:
- Don’t eat hard candy. Hard candies and lollipops are some of the worst candy offenders on Halloween. Biting down hard enough on a hard piece of candy means you could potentially chip, crack, or even break a tooth. Plus, hard candy and lollipops are meant to be eaten for lengthy periods of time. These are not mini indulgences. If you leave candy in your mouth for hours at a time, that is the equivalent of giving your teeth a bath in sugar, and that is not a good thing.
- Do eat chocolate. If you must overindulge, stick with chocolate. The properties of this sweet are such that it doesn’t cling to your teeth. We can’t speak for the fillings in the chocolate – nougat, nuts, and so on, as they could absolutely damage your teeth – but a good, old chocolate bar will taste amazing and be less detrimental to your tooth enamel.
- Don’t eat chewy or sticky candy. They may be fun to play with or last for a long time and expand the candy-eating experience, but taffy, caramel, gummy worms could ruin your teeth. The chewy candies get stuck in all the crevices and crannies in and around your teeth. If the foods are not properly eliminated, cavities can result. Plus, the sticky stuff can sometimes be enough to pull out or loosen a dental restoration, like a tooth crown or veneer.
- Do brush and floss. Halloween can be a long day and night, and after the sugar high and sugar low that your kids (and you) go through, you may be tempted to allow everyone to hit the hay without brushing and flossing. Ideally, the teeth brushing routine is well-established at your house so your kids will automatically take to their toothpaste and sinks before dropping into bed. The last thing you want is for a major influx of sugar to stay on the teeth overnight.
- Don’t ruin your braces. Whether you or your teen are wearing traditional metal braces or Invisalign, Halloween can do a number on your appliances. Stay away from the sticky and hard candies, gum, taffy, licorice, or nutty candies. You could break a bracket or wire. If you don’t remove your Invisalign aligners, you could damage the tray. And if you don’t brush and floss your teeth well after digging into a ton of candy, you leave yourself open to developing cavities around your hardware or under your aligner.
Halloween is supposed to be fun, so have at it, just don’t sacrifice your beautiful teeth in the process! If you really want to get rid of the candy in your house, take advantage of our Halloween candy buyback! Donate your haul for a good cause! Contact our Family & Cosmetic Dentistry office in Johns Creek to learn more, or to schedule a check-up or consultation with Dr. Mitul Patel.
