Most of us know that eating candy is bad for your teeth. But on Halloween, you may just throw in the towel and decide to allow your kids to indulge in all those cavity-producing treats. Unfortunately, the result may be an increase in cavities, followed shortly thereafter by multiple trips to the dentist. So before you totally give in to the season, think again. We have some helpful tips that will allow your kids to enjoy Halloween without wreaking havoc on their oral health.

• Limit the amount of Halloween candy your kids collect. Few parents want to take away a child’s Halloween candy once they’ve collected it. So if your kids trick-or-treat in the neighborhood, for example, limit the number of houses they visit and/or encourage them to just take one piece of candy per house. Better yet, if your community offers any type of safe Halloween gathering, that may provide an easier way to control how much candy your little one brings home.
• Keep your kids away from sugary drinks and hard candy. The longer they’re exposed to the cavity-producing sugar and starches in treats, the more likely they are to form tooth decay as a result. So if your child is sucking on a piece of hard candy for a long period of time, or sipping a sweet drink periodically for an hour, they are exposing their teeth to more of the damaging effects of sugar. Candy that they can eat and finish quickly is a better alternative.
• Limit the number of times throughout the day that your little one can indulge in Halloween candy, then make sure they brush their teeth afterwards or at the very least wash their mouths out with water. This may sound like a challenge to many parents, who might have a hard enough time convincing their kids to brush twice a day, much less every time they eat a piece of candy. But remember that the damaging effects of sugar start to take place very quickly, and the less time the sugar is in contact with the teeth, the better.
• Choose different snacks altogether. Instead of allowing your child to snack on Halloween candy 3 or 4 times a day, provide them with healthier snacks at least half the time. Choose foods that actually promote good oral health, such as cheese, yogurt or fruit, for example.

With a little diligence on your part, your kids will come through Halloween cavity-free and still be able to enjoy all the fun of this special holiday.

It’s safe to say that few things make you feel better about yourself than an attractive smile. If you’d like to enjoy a more beautiful smile, but think that goal is simply out of reach, think again! There are several relatively easy dental procedures that can drastically improve the appearance of your smile in no time at all.

Teeth Whitening

One of the quickest and least expensive ways to have a brighter smile is by professional teeth whitening services provided by your dentist. Although there are countless over-the-counter whitening products available at virtually any drug or grocery store, these products can’t compare with the results you’ll see after your teeth are professionally whitened by your dentist. Not only do dentists use much stronger whitening agents that those provided in OTC products; they also create custom-made trays for their patients, which allow the stronger whitening agent to come into closer contact with your teeth. Most whitening procedures can be completed within an hour or two at your dentist’s office.

Bonding

If your teeth can’t be whitened with professional whitening products, or if you have minor imperfections that are ruining the appearance of your smile, ask your dentist about dental bonding. The process involves your dentist applying a coat of composite resin over your natural tooth surface. The material bonds to the surface of your teeth, not only changing the color but also repairing damage such as chips, minor cracks, the length of teeth, and even closing gaps between teeth. Bonding is one of the least expensive cosmetic procedures available, it can typically be completed in a single visit to the dentist office, and the results are often dramatic!

Crowns

If you have more substantial dental issues that need to be resolved, ask your dentist about dental crowns. Modern crowns are often made of a porcelain material that is not only quite strong and durable, but can also be made to exactly match the shade of your natural teeth. If you have one or more teeth that are badly decayed, or old fillings that need to be replaced, crowns can not only return you to good oral health but also drastically improve the appearance of your smile. Better yet – many dentist now offer same-day crowns!

A beautiful smile can improve your self-esteem, not to mention how other people view you. Thanks to modern dental procedures, virtually anyone can enjoy a more beautiful smile in no time at all. Ask your dentist for more information.

Most of us know how stress can affect our health. But you may not realize that stress can also impact our oral health. This makes it even more important to reduce your stress levels as much as possible. Here are a few oral health issues that can either be caused or exacerbated by stress:

• Bruxism (teeth grinding) – If you are under a great deal of stress, one of the most common ways in which your body reacts is to clench your jaw and grind your teeth. Whether you engage in this habit while you’re awake or while you’re sleeping, it can cause a variety of oral health problems, such as wearing down the surface of your teeth and causing pain and discomfort in your jaw.
• TMJ disorder – Your TMJ (or temporomandibular joint) is located on each side of your face, where your jaw connects to your cheek. People who suffer from TMJ disorder often experience significant pain in and around this joint, as well as in the ear on face. Stress can be either the root cause of TMJ disorder, and/or can make the condition much worse.
• Compromised immune system – If you are under a great deal of stress, it can compromise your immune system. This often leads to conditions such as gum disease.
• Cold sores and other oral infections – Stress is a common cause for cold sores and other oral infections that manifest as white or red spots, white lines, or ulcers inside the mouth.
• Conditions related to poor oral hygiene – If you have so much stress in your life that you are not brushing and flossing each day, you will most likely end up with tooth decay and/or gum disease much quicker than you might imagine.

Fortunately, there are several effective methods for reducing stress. Talk to your doctor to decide what will work best for you. In the meantime, keep in mind that your oral health could be at significantly greater risk during period of high stress. Whatever you do, don’t self-medicate by using tobacco, alcohol or drugs – those are poor choices that won’t alleviate stress and will only make your overall and oral health much worse. Instead, focus on taking good care of yourself. Try to maintain a regular oral hygiene routine each and every day – one that includes brushing at least twice a day and flossing at least once a day. And visit your dentist on a regular basis for professional cleanings and oral exams. If you notice signs that may indicate one of the problems listed above, call your dentist right away. Oral health issues are always easier to treat if they’re caught in the early stages.

Most of us have been told from a very early age that too much sugar is bad for your teeth. But you may not know why that’s so and how exactly sugar affects your oral health. Whether you need to find a better way to convince yourself to stay away from the dessert tray, or a more effective explanation for your kids about why they shouldn’t eat too many sweets, what follows is an explanation of why sugar is bad for the health of your teeth and gums.

In order to enjoy good oral health, we all need the right level of acidity inside of our mouths. Even our own saliva is acidic and helps to ensure that we maintain a certain pH level inside the mouth. A good pH level promotes healthy teeth and gums. When you eat sugar, it mixes with your saliva and lowers the pH levels inside your mouth. That, in turn, increases acidity, which makes it easier for harmful bacteria to grow. This bad bacteria is what leads to tooth decay and gum disease.

While too much of any type of sugar is bad for your teeth and gums, the extent of the damage does differ to a certain extent depending on the type of sugar you ingest. Sugar that is in a non-liquid form – such as sugar in baked goods and candy, for example – is usually the worst for your oral health. That’s because these types of foods leave more residue on your teeth that can’t be washed away naturally with your own saliva. The longer that residue remains on your teeth, the higher the risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease.

Sugary drinks aren’t much better. When you consume drinks like fruit juices and sodas, the liquid is dispersed throughout your entire mouth, usually reaching every tooth surface, not to mention your gums. After that, bad bacteria begins to form very quickly. And simply brushing twice a day is not enough to remove the sugar left behind by sweet drinks.

The obvious answer to avoiding these issues is to limit the amount of sugar in your diet. Instead of indulging in candy or baked goods, try eating fruit instead. Whole fruit tastes sweet and does not promote tooth decay or gum disease. Instead of sugary drinks, drink water, milk or low-sugar vegetable juice instead. If you want to choose a snack that’s actually good for your oral health, try cheese! Not only does it contain tooth-strengthening calcium and phosphorous, it also stimulates the production of saliva. And saliva works to wash away food residue and keep your pH level in balance.

So the bad news is what we’ve known all along – too much sugar is bad for your teeth and gums. But the good news is that there are other drinks and snacks that can actually benefit your oral health. So enjoy!