4 Ways to Ensure a Hauntingly Healthy Halloween Smile

There’s nothing more fun than dressing up in your favorite costume on Halloween. Whether you’re trick-or-treating with your kids or attending a party with friends, there’s bound to be plenty of pictures taken, and you’ll want to make sure your smile looks and feels it best. But how can you do this with so much available candy around? A cosmetic dentist shares four ways to better maintain a healthy smile while enjoying the haunting festivities this year.

Dry Lots of Water

Water is not only hydrating, but it also helps to keep your salivary glands actively working. When enjoying a sweet treat, your saliva can help to flush out harmful particles that might otherwise try to adhere to the surface of your teeth and cause cavities. By drinking lots of water on your night of fun, you can minimize the risk of sugars and bad bacteria developing on your teeth and wreaking havoc on your smile.

Choose Which Candies to Eat Wisely

If you are a chocolate lover, you’ll be pleased to learn it is one of the preferred candies to eat on Halloween. Unlike sour, sticky, and hard candies that are difficult to remove and can damage your tooth enamel, chocolate is easy to wash off. If you like the darker variety, this is even better because it contains less sugar. Of course, if you want to be extra safe, sugarless gum is ideal because it causes you to chew, which activates your salivary glands. While you may be tempted to reach for that bag of colorful, chewy candies, go ahead and swap it out for a small piece of chocolate.

Avoiding Snacking on Sweet Treats Throughout the Day

If you’re prone to snacking on Halloween candy days or weeks after the big day, you may want to either donate it or throw it out. Why? Because snacking on sweets will only lead to sugars remaining on your teeth much longer than they should. The amount of time it remains on your tooth enamel, the greater your risk for dental decay and cavities. Switch out your candies for healthier options like fruit, yogurt, vegetables, or nuts.

Take Care of Your Smile Before Bed

When returning home from your party, you’ll want to make sure you practice good oral hygiene habits before going to bed. Although you may be tired from having fun with your friends, you don’t want anything sitting on your teeth overnight. Brushing for two full minutes, flossing, and rinsing with an antimicrobial mouthwash will ensure your teeth and gums are better protected and free of any bacteria and harmful acids that might try to damage your smile.

Get ready to have fun this Halloween but be mindful of what treats you consume. Making better choices and setting a limit will help you avoid the emergency dental office and instead, maintain a beautiful and healthy smile.

About the Author
Dr. Mark Simeone is a cosmetic dentist in Coatesville who provides patients with safe and effective ways to improve their smiles. From preventive and restorative services to cosmetic and emergency dental care, individuals who visit his office can expect beautiful results. When preparing for Halloween this year, he and his team can provide essential tips to avoiding decay, cavities, and gum disease while still enjoying the scares, screams, and spooky festivities. If you want to ensure your smile remains healthy this time of year, contact us at (610) 383-1600.