Who has Halloween candy left over, raise your hands. Uh huh. Just as I thought. While this was a successful Halloween by my standards, which are based on the number of kids who come to the house; the more kids, the better, is my opinion; I still have candy left over. It’s haunting me as much as any ghoul or ghost on Halloween night. And that’s a bad thing …
Hips, thighs and butt aside, candy wreaks havoc on your teeth and few of us want to spend more time than is absolutely necessary in the dentist’s chair. With that in mind, Dr. Pankaj P. Singh, founder and CEO of Arch Dental Associates, (1-888-NY-ARCH) with locations in Manhattan, Garden City and Huntington, NY, offers five tips for having your candy – and eating it too. Hurray!
1. Choose candy that melts quickly and can be eaten easily.
2. Have a glass of water after eating candy to wash away the sugar and neutralize the acid.
3. Avoid grazing on candy; it increases the time sugars are in contact with tooth enamel.
4. Have a treat with or after a meal, followed by a thorough tooth brushing.
5. Time is of the essence when it comes to teeth and sugar. If not removed by brushing or swishing with water, sugar from any source can increase the likelihood of cavities.
