The National Retail Federation reports that consumers plan to spend $2.7 billion on Halloween candy this year. Trick-or-treaters won’t be the only people consuming this candy, though. It’s tough to have so much sugar in your house without being tempted by it yourself. How will your teeth fare in the process? A hearty Halloween season in Midtown Manhattan may finally convince you that a smile makeover is in order.
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Protect Your Smile Makeover: Choose Halloween Candy Wisely
People whose oral health is already in decline will find that gummy, chewy sweets certainly don’t do anything to alleviate tooth pain. If you’re on trend with a large number of New Yorkers, Sour Patch Kids reign supreme, with over 200,000 pounds of this sweet and sour candy being sold in the three months leading up to Halloween. Nearly 10 years of sales data compiled by CandyStore.com and verified by candy manufacturers found that candy corn (101,000 pounds) came in at second place. In third place are Reese’s Cups at almost 57,000 pounds.
While Sour Patch kids might produce additional saliva, which is good for your mouth, everything else about this candy is not so good for your oral health. Chewy candies of any kind easily stick to teeth, potentially damaging existing cosmetic dental work or restorative dental work. Of course, any sugary candy that lingers on your teeth also has time to go to work on tooth enamel.
One of the biggest mistakes people make at this candy-heavy time of year is snacking on candy throughout every day. This behavior may seem less threatening for your waistline (it’s not), but it’s a big threat to your teeth. If you must indulge in Halloween treats, you are better off gorging in one sitting, then brushing and flossing as soon as possible. Popping in a piece of candy here and there or sucking on hard candy or lollipops all day simply bathes your teeth in sugar. Might taste like a treat, but all you’ll get is a trick: cavities.
Perfect your fangs with porcelain veneers >>
Smile Makeover Solutions for Damaged Teeth
Your trick-or-treaters may have demands about the types of Halloween candy they would like to receive, but one way for you to avoid overindulging yourself is by purchasing candy that you don’t like. Save it all for the little witches and superheroes or you could damage your natural teeth or smile makeovers.
Whether Halloween candy, age, accident, health, or poor hygiene has led to your dental disrepair, it’s never too late to do something about it. Chipped teeth can be fixed with porcelain veneers so that your smile looks natural and is once again complete. Broken or damaged teeth are restored with porcelain tooth crowns. Missing teeth can be permanently replaced with dental implants.
Your smile makeover, just like your Halloween costume, is customized to you. Talk to your Midtown Manhattan cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael J. Wei about the best smile makeover solution for your oral health needs. Make your appointment today.
