Do you have big plans for Halloween? We want you and your family to enjoy your trick or treating events, parties, and even your favorite Halloween treats. But our team also wants you to avoid the onset of cavities. In today’s blog, your West Allis, WI, dentist talks about how to prevent tooth decay and still enjoy your Halloween!
Holiday Cavities
What makes the Halloween season so rife with tooth decay? Well, when we consume our favorite treats, holiday candies, or seasonal drinks, we expose our teeth to excess amounts of sugar. These particles can become stuck between teeth and consumed by bacteria, a process that creates sticky plaque buildup, which hardens with time into tartar. This buildup coats your teeth and could weaken and erode the enamel, exposing the inner dentin to bacteria and allowing tooth decay to form. The cavities can then cause tooth sensitivity, toothaches, and could lead to infection that may threaten tooth stability! But we have a few options to help safeguard your smile during the spooky season and beyond.
Tips for Preventing Tooth Decay
What can you and your family do to help fight cavities? First, make sure everyone starts and ends their day by brushing their teeth for two minutes. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles to avoid inadvertent enamel damage or gum recession, and employ a fluoride toothpaste that helps strengthen the outer enamel.
When it comes to candy, limit how many pieces your family eats each day. Better yet, follow them with a glass of water and enjoy them just after dinner. The combination of water and increased saliva production can help rinse away sugar particles. If you plan to hand out treats to kids in your neighborhood, then consider offering options with no sugar, including small party favors that can be bought in bulk.
Treatment for Kids and Adults
You should also consider an appointment with our team to help prevent tooth decay and keep smiles of all ages strong and healthy, even during the Halloween and holiday seasons. For example, when you see us for a routine six-month visit, we can conduct a cleaning to remove all plaque and tartar from your smile, a process that instantly lowers the risk of tooth decay and even gingivitis and gum disease. At the same time, we can help kids by applying fluoride to the teeth to help enamel stay strong and the risk of cavities to drop. Dental sealants can then coat the rear teeth, which kids may not be able to reach very well, to prevent cavities from forming there for years to come.
Ask Our Team About Avoiding Tooth Decay
We want to help you and your loved ones enjoy good oral health and avoid a cavity following Halloween. To schedule an appointment with Stubbs Family Dentistry in West Allis, WI, call our team today at 414-541-8250.
