Orange is The New Black, Lock Up Tooth Decay Halloween Edition




Halloween cavitiesHalloween is my favorite time of the year. Something about the leaves turning and the gorgeous vibrant colors of yellow, maroon, purple and of course Orange! I love pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, and I especially love jack-o-lanterns with the glow of a candle inside. With the leaves rustling in the wind, it’s exciting and chilling as there’s an anticipation of what might be lurking around every corner. My enthusiasm, however, would often become shackled by responsibility by Halloween afternoon. Not only was it the bewitching hour in my home when preparations for the evening’s hauntings would begin, but also the interrogation began on how long we would stay out trick-or-treating. How far could we go and how much candy could we eat? Inevitably the kids would also have homework, if the festivities fell on a school night, leading to further negotiations and bargains being made. I often felt like Monty Hall surrounded by costumed clad individuals on Let’s Make A Deal! I had to be sharp during these discussions as the kids were able to bombard me with questions and grill me about specifics, like leading prosecuting attorneys, holding me to any misspoken word that fell to their favor.

Keeping close to a normal schedule and maintaining a healthy balanced diet was always my goal, regrettably I was successful as getting out of an electric chair alive! Fortunately, with each passing year, I became smarter and realized some simple steps can be taken to avoid rioting in the yard and prevent untimely lockdowns  which would ruin the celebration for everybody. Having a plan, sticking to the plan and possessing good home care habits throughout season can help prevent you and your family from spending the following months imprisoned with tooth decay.
halloween candy teethEvery October the perpetrator is the candy and the victims are our teeth. Most of us are guilty of eating candy especially this time of year. Some love chocolates while others prefer the more chewy fruity candies that are sometimes sweet and sometimes sour. And while some candies require minimum security measures to protect our teeth, other sweets belong in a maximum security facility, like Hannibal Lechter in his plexiglass cell, are better to look at and rarely to be touched!

Chocolates are a preferred sweet treat for our teeth because it melts quickly, allowing limited exposure to the enamel. According to the ADA, of the 60% of dentists that give out candy on Halloween, 79% of them give chocolate because of its more friendly properties toward our teeth.
Rinsing with water after eating candy is also recommended to reduce residual sugar. In addition, water containing fluoride provides added support to the teeth, making them more resistant to decay. Chocolate not only rinses away easier than sticky confections, dark chocolate contains antioxidants and “healthy” unsaturated fats (70% cacao or cocoa).

Hard and sticky candy is considered the mass murderers of enamel. Lollipops and jaw breakers “bathe” our teeth in sugar for longer periods of time, increasing exposure. Some dental professionals feel hard candy can cause the most damage to our teeth. Gummy worms and caramels are most popular this time of year, unfortunately are not easily washed away by our saliva or rinsing with water. Skittles, Starburst, Swedish fish, Tootsie Rolls, Dots also share the same “cell lock-up”, committing the same wrong. Accessories to the caries crime are sour candies coated with citric acid and sour sugar. Not only are they sticky, but the acid directly erodes the enamel at a higher rate. (The) Sour Patch Kids,(The) Lemon Heads and (The) Warheads are just a few of the gangs interned for the very same infraction.halloween candy buy backBack in November, 2011, an article was written about sour candy and its effects on enamel. The article provides overwhelming evidence of the measurable acid found in many types of “sour” candy. It included all the usual suspects but offered a few surprises as well, like Airheads and Mentos. The author compared the pH level of these culprits to the pH level of battery acid. Neutral acidic levels are at a pH7, while teeth begin to lose enamel at a level of pH4. The candies listed in his dissertation have acidity levels between pH3 and pH1.6. Battery acid is pH1!!! (Jesus Diaz,Gizmodo.com) No tooth can afford the bail required to be free from the damage of these convicts and bail bondsman do not come cheap!candy and dental health Halloween is the perfect time to teach our children responsibility. They can learn that candy, though a treat that is fun to eat, can cause cavities and requires good habits in order to enjoy. There are several things we can do to help minimize the formation of decay and prevent solitary confinement in the dental operatory. Offered below are a few suggestions I have come across to help capture the decay mafia and inspire all of us to being the Guardian Angels of our own mouths.

1. Buy candy later rather than sooner to reduce temptation and repeated offenses.
2. Have the kids eat a meal before trick-or-treating to avoid gorging on candy.
3. Choose 10-15 pieces of your favorite candy to keep and plan to donate the rest. Seidner Dentistry will be hosting its annual Candy Buy Back program Nov. 2nd and 3rd where you can receive $1 for every pound of candy you bring in! All candy is then donated to our troops in the military!
4. Enjoy a piece of candy with a meal because saliva levels rise while eating which helps reduce acid production.
5. Enjoy candy at one sitting then brush and floss after.
6. Chewing gum after sugary treats helps increase saliva flow and neutralizes the acid forming. In addition, gum containing xylitol can help reduce cavities and is recommended to chew for five minutes throughout the day.

In addition to these tips, toothbrushing and flossing are the best defense of all. Purchasing new tooth brushes for the children during this season helps instill the importance of having good habits while enjoying the treats. Dental professionals recommend brushing twice a day with a soft bristled toothbrush. Moving in a circular motion (like the old time inmates in the exercise yard), concentration of the bristles should be at the gum line. Because 90% of plaque forms at the neck of each tooth, placement of the bristles, like in real estate, is all about location, location, location! Thorough brushing should take approximately two to three minutes and provides plaque removal on the cheek and tongue surfaces of the teeth. Use of an ADA recommended toothpaste is also part of the shake down.

Flossing is recommended at least once a day and cleans between the teeth and below the gum line. Proper placement of the floss is below the tissue, tightly wrapped against the tooth surface and guided in an up and down motion, scrapping the tooth surface to remove sticky bacteria.

Fluoride rinses are available over the counter and when used daily can render the teeth nearly impenetrable, like the walls of the Eastern State Penitentiary. Just ask the spirits trapped inside!

Halloween has evolved into a celebration of dressing in costume and gathering of candy. And while it’s fun to enjoy all the sweets, we don’t want a life sentence of decay or to feel incarcerated by the dental office! Halloween should be a time to shine a spot light on your homecare habits and sound the siren against decay!






By Julia Guerra, RDH, BA

julia@randolphnjdentist.com

Comments

  1. At our dental practice, we focus on getting to know you and providing you with the personalized care you need for a smile that is both healthy and attractive. Our team strives to go above and beyond for exceptional patient care. We are proud to provide quality dentistry in New York. stand alone dental discount plans ny

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