I am very pleased with my services from the staff at 7 O’Clock Dental and Dr. Tripp. The office is very clean and I was welcomed by Crystal at the front desk that made me at ease. I had a tooth that needed to be removed and I was extremely nervous about the procedure, but Dr. Tripp assured me that I would be fine. He removed the tooth and I could not believe it when he told me he was done. It was painless and extremely quick. I would recommend 7 O’Clock Dental to anyone seeking dental treatment.
![Halloween Dental Tips To Keep Your Smile Healthy! [BLOG]](https://7oclockdental.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2015/12/preventative_orthodontics_kids_3.jpg)
Soon, your kids will put on their Halloween costumes, grab a bag or bucket, and set off on the great quest through the neighborhood to collect as much candy as they can.
Before that happens, your New Orleans dentist wants to make sure your family’s teeth stay healthy, despite the extra sugar you will likely be consuming in the days or weeks after trick-or-treating.
We’re sharing ways you can protect your family’s smiles this Halloween, and we also want to remind you to visit 7 O’Clock Dental for a routine cleaning and exam to keep everyone’s oral health on the right track!
Protect Your Smile With Our Halloween Dental Tips!
You don’t have to outlaw Halloween treats from your household. It’s okay to indulge your sweet tooth once in a while.
But there are ways your family can enjoy candy without letting it lead to tooth decay and cavities!
Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Tip #1 – Practice Moderation!
It’s a good idea to sit down as a family before the kids go trick-or-treating and set some limits on how much candy they can eat at a time. You may tell them to wait until they get home before having any candy, and you may decide they can only have two pieces in a sitting.
Decide what proper moderation looks like for your family, set clear expectations, and then be consistent in following through with your family’s candy consumption.
Tip #2 – Drink Plenty Of Water!
No matter what season it is, drinking plenty of water should always be a top priority every single day. First, your body depends on adequate hydration to function properly.
It’s also an important part of maintaining good oral health because drinking water keeps your saliva production at a healthy level. Saliva contains bacteria-fighting agents that coat and protect your teeth and gums, and it also helps wash away food particles after you eat.
So make sure you’re drinking enough water on a daily basis, and if you eat candy, drink a glass of water immediately afterwards to help keep your mouth clean!
Tip #3 – Don’t Replace Meals Or Snacks With Candy!
It’s important to maintain your healthy, balanced diet, especially this time of year when you likely have more sweets in the house after trick-or-treating.
When you leave the candy bowl out in the open, particularly in a high-traffic space like your kitchen, it can be pretty tempting to grab a piece of candy each time you pass through the room. This will expose your teeth to more sugar each day, and that will increase your risk of tooth decay and cavities.
To reduce temptation, put the candy away in a cabinet, and only bring it out as a sweet treat after lunch or dinner. You don’t want to fall into the habit of reaching for a piece of candy instead of a healthy snack, like an apple, a few almonds, or yogurt.
And here’s one final tip! Be careful with chewy, sticky, or hard candy because it stays in your mouth longer, which gives bacteria more time and opportunity to feed off of it and generate harmful acids that attack your tooth enamel!
Visit Your New Orleans Dentist!
After Halloween, be sure to visit your New Orleans dentist, Dr. Tripp, for a dental cleaning and exam. Bring the whole family, and we will check to make sure all your little ghosts and goblins are healthy and cavity-free!
Call 7 O’Clock Dental today at 504-266-0664 or fill out our online form to schedule your family’s next appointment with Dr. Tripp and our team.