Emergency visits increase dramatically when teenagers, children, and even adults have damaged their metal braces or suffered a dental injury due to eating treats such as candy.
The fact is that many of the treats that we and our kids so richly enjoy during Halloween may be harmful to our teeth.
If you have good overall dental health and practice proper oral hygiene you can probably safely eat some Halloween treats in moderation. If you wear metal braces, have a lot of crowns or fillings, or have a history of weak teeth that break easily you might want to be careful when you are eating your treats.
Here are some ways to be careful:
- Avoid treats that are crunchy such as nuts, chewy such as caramel, extremely hard such as peanut brittle, or sticky such as taffy. These kinds of treats can compromise crowns, pull out fillings, break teeth, and cause damage to other types of dental work. Be careful with treats that say they are 'naturally sweetened' as they can have a lot of sugar in them. Look at food labels on products and make smart choices.
- Only let your kids eat soft, non-sticky treats like chocolate kisses, peanut butter cups, or thinly sliced fruit. Sticky treats are not easily brushed from the grooves of teeth and can cause cavities even after you try to brush.
- Don’t chew on the ice when you finish with your soft drink. It may damage metal braces and tooth enamel. Have sugar free drinks as often as you can as even fruit juices contain a lot of sugar. Choose water or an unsweetened beverage.
- Make sure that after you eat the Halloween treats, you thoroughly brush and floss. Remember that prevention is your best medicine.
Have a great Halloween, and be safe!
