Tips for Keeping Your Kids Teeth Healthy This Halloween from our General Dentistry Office

In our local general dentistry office, we treat patients of all ages and have regular conversations with parents about eating candy on Halloween.  This is the time of year where the sugar comes out in massive quantities and the candy they get on Halloween can last all the way to the cakes and pies of Thanksgiving.  With three full months of treats ahead, it is important to set the trend for healthy habits in October instead of waiting for December. 

The first thing you should do is schedule a dental exam and teeth cleaning.  By removing the plaque and bacteria from your teeth and your kids' teeth, we can help to prevent cavities from forming.  If you do have any cavities, we can treat them right away so that the infection doesn't spread.  The same is true for gum disease. By catching and treating it early, we can prevent further infection. 

Once you know that you and your kids have healthy teeth, it is important to keep them that way.  In addition to visiting our general dentistry office, here are steps you can take this Halloween to keep teeth in good health. 

• Limit the candy intake.  Before going trick-or-treating, set a limit as to how much candy everyone is allowed to have.  Limit yourself, as well.  This way there are no arguments while you're out and about.  Simultaneously, you will be preventing a massive sugar overload from happening. 
• Eat a healthy dinner.  Make sure that you and your kids eat a healthy dinner before going out.  This needs to include lean protein, dairy, complex carbs, and veggies.  By eating a well-balanced meal, you and your kids will have immediate and sustained energy.  Additionally, your kids won’t feel the urge to pig out on candy since they will already be full. 
• Bring healthy snacks.  You can carry things like apples and sliced cheese with you while trick-or-treating.  If someone gets hungry, they can tap into these snacks instead of diving into the candy bag.  This is a good solution for everyone in the group.
• Carry water.  Every time your child eats a piece of candy, give them a drink of water.  This will help to wash away the sugar and prevent it from simply sitting on your kids' teeth all night.  It will also help them to stay full throughout the evening. 
• Brush teeth.  Make sure that as soon as you get home, their teeth get brushed with a fluoride toothpaste.  This will remove the sugar from their teeth, and gums and the fluoride can actually help to strengthen teeth 
• Put the candy away.  Don’t leave the candy out because if you do, your kids will be tempted to eat a piece every time they walk through the room.  Once they have reached their limit, it should be put in a safe place so that they have to ask permission to have another piece. 

In our general dentistry office, we focus on keeping our patients in good oral health so follow these tips to prevent a Halloween cavity. 

Ways to Treat Sensitive Teeth From Your Local Dentist

When visiting your local dentist office, let us know if you are struggling with sensitive teeth.  This is a common condition that tends to get worse with age. Many of the seniors we treat complain of their teeth hurting when drinking something cold like iced tea, eating a bowl of ice cream, or brushing their teeth.  While common, this can still be inconvenient, and we can help your teeth to feel better.

Before you treat sensitive teeth, it is important to understand why teeth become sensitive in the first place.  Your teeth are protected by a layer of enamel and underneath your gums they are protected by cementum.  These two elements cover the dentin that your teeth are made of.  When they wear away, the dentin is exposed.  The problem with dentin is that it is full of holes that contain root endings.  If you were to look at dentin under a microscope, you would see something that looks like a bunch of small round holes had been punched through it.  Understandably, when this is exposed – your teeth become sensitive.

Over time, the enamel wears away through a process called demineralization. What you eat and drink is largely to blame, and you can combat it by eating a healthy diet with nuts, veggies, dairy and lean protein along with taking care of your teeth overall. Regular teeth cleanings at our dentist office will also help to preserve your enamel. 

Other causes of tooth sensitivity are cavities and gum disease.  If you have an infection in your mouth, it will cause your teeth to become more sensitive and potentially painful.  If we see any signs of cavities or gum disease, it can be treated in our office so that you can feel better right away.

At home, you can feel better by brushing your teeth with a soft toothbrush and desensitizing toothpaste.  This will block sensations from being transferred through the dentin and to the roots of the tooth.  While this will block the pain, you must also address the root of the issue.  If your pain is caused by due to losing enamel, you should brush with a fluoride toothpaste or request an in-office fluoride treatment.  This places a mineral directly onto your teeth and strengthens them so that the dentin will not be exposed in the first place.  You may also want to have a bonding procedure completed where a tooth colored substance is bonded to your teeth in order to protect the dentin.

Teeth that require more serious treatment can have dental crowns placed onto them.  A crown is a cap that surrounds the tooth entirely and prevents anything from touching it.  This way you can eat, drink, and brush your teeth without feeling pain because nothing actually touches the tooth.  Before this procedure can be completed, we must diagnose and treat any other infections that may be present. 

By following these steps at home and visiting the dentist, your teeth will start to feel better.