Preparing For Sugar Overload

It may not seem possible but the holidays are just around the corner. In a few weeks, Halloween  will be upon us and so begins the onslaught of sugar. While there is no denying that you will be consuming a little, OK maybe a lot, more sugar than normal, there are things you can do to prepare yourself and your smile for the season of sugar.

Routine, Routine, Routine

Just because you will be staying out late with the kids, or your friends at various Halloween and other Autumnal outings, does not mean you should skimp on your daily oral hygiene routine. When you are eating and drinking an excessive amount of sugar, it is more important than ever to stick to your routine. Now would also be a good time to take a good look at your dental hygiene routine and discover if it is beneficial and if you are doing it correctly. You need to be brushing for two minutes twice daily to reap the benefits of an effective oral health routine. See this blog for tips on brushing up your brushing routine. After you chew on sticky caramel apples, and caramel-covered popcorn, it is also extremely important that you floss every night. This will dislodge wayward kernels and bacteria preventing holiday cavities.

Prepare Healthy Alternatives

Nobody wants to be the house that hands out raisins on Halloween night, thankfully there are tons of yummy alternatives to the bags of sugar-loaded candies – and, they’re just as easy to grab for. As a culture, we are becoming more health conscious and the choices we have in sweet treats is beginning to reflect that. Fruit snacks made with real juice and no added sugar are widely available in kid-centric shapes, and it only takes a cookie cutter to create cheesy ghosts that are chock full of calcium to help fortify the bones. Nobody is perfect and you do deserve a dip into the candy bowl, but by limiting the amount of sugary sweets you keep around your house can certainly help you protect your teeth from excess sugar and the threat of tooth decay.

Don’t Forget About Xylitol

Xylitol is a natural sweetener that is derived from the bark of birch trees and corn husks. It is found mainly in sugar-free gum but can also be found in other holiday candies. Because xylitol does not have the same chemical makeup of sugar bacteria does not  feed on it to create an acidic environment where tooth decay can develop. Yet, it has an identical flavor and can be used as a sugar alternative. You can use it in baking for Halloween cupcakes, or even just to sweeten your pumpkin spice latte in the morning.

Schedule an Appointment

The final piece of preparation is to schedule an appointment with your Melbourne, Florida dentist before the merriment begins. The end of the year is full of sugar and overindulgence and by scheduling an appointment before Dr. Brazdo can alert you to any current decay and other causes of concern. Filling a cavity you did not know you had in October is a much better scenario than having a dental emergency in December when our offices may be closed for the holidays. By filling cavities and addressing any potential gum disease before the onslaught of sugar begins, we can lessen the impact this season will have on your dental health. A developing cavity will only get worse as it is packed with more and more sugar provided by fun-sized candy bars, mugs of hot chocolate, and baked good after baked good. The damage done to your oral health in this season can certainly carry over into the new year.

While you gear up for the best time of the year, don’t forget to take care of your teeth. Keeping up with your oral health routine even when you’re outfitting pirates and fairies with trick-or-treat bags and making pumpkin pies and cookies is extremely important. By preparing for the sugar you’re about to consume and taking steps to better your oral health you’ll meet the holiday season with success. If you would like to schedule your pre-holiday dental appointment, call our office today.