Photo courtesy of Cameron Wilkinson
The Ontario Dental Association (ODA) is hoping you keep your teeth in mind this weekend.
Halloween is on Sunday, which means many Milton residents will be eating candy on and leading up to the big day. The ODA says that it’s important to remember that sugar candies, chocolate, and salty treats like chips can all cause cavities. It has provided a list of tips to follow when indulging in the Halloween treats.
- Sugar candies can be broken down into two categories, hard or chewy, and both can do serious damage. It’s no surprise big jawbreakers can overwork jaw muscles and damage braces. They, along with other hard candies and lollipops can also chip or crack teeth if you bite down on them and because they dissolve slowly, they’re soaking your teeth in sugar. Chewy sweets, including dried fruit, can stick to teeth in hard to reach spots and damage dental work, like fillings.
- Chocolates, as long as they’re plain, are one of the least harmful sweets you can treat yourself to this Halloween. That’s because they dissolve quickly in the mouth. Dark chocolate is especially good since research suggests its high number of polyphenols can actually help prevent tooth decay.
- Salty snacks like chips and pretzels may seem like a safe bet but they can also get stuck between teeth and in the crevices and break down into cavity-causing sugars.
- Treat time tips to help prevent dental damage try eating a proper meal first, swishing with water to clean out your mouth, chewing sugar-free gum and eating some nuts or cheese for a vitamin-rich protective coating on your teeth.
You can learn more about the ODA, as well get more dental tips, by checking out its website!
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