Barrington dentist shares tips for a tooth-friendly Halloween
We recently reached out to Katina Spadoni, DDS, the dental director for Naperville-based Delta Dental of Illinois, to learn what parents and kids can do this Halloween to avoid a monster mouthful of cavities.
Dr. Spadoni has seen some scary tooth decay over the years and has some helpful recommendations for everyone celebrating Halloween.
Q: We hear that candy is bad for your teeth, but how? Can you explain how teeth get damaged by candy?
A: Sugar by itself is not bad for your teeth. But, certain harmful bacteria in our mouths feed on sugar to create acids that destroy the outer layer of the tooth, the tooth enamel, and a cavity results. It's important to brush teeth with a fluoridated toothpaste and floss after consuming sugary foods and drinks so bacteria doesn't have the sugar it needs to create acid.
Q: How can I make sure my kids' teeth stay healthy while they trick-or-treat?
A: You can start by sending kids out trick-or-treating on a full stomach so they will be less likely to fill up on their Halloween candy. Have your kids drink lots of water. Water also can help wash away sugar and dislodge candy particles stuck in teeth.
Q: My kids got home from trick-or-treating and ate a lot of their Halloween candy. What should I do now to prevent their teeth from being damaged by the sugar from all those goodies?
A: Make sure that kids brush their teeth or at least rinse with water after eating sweets. It's always good practice to make sure your kids brush their teeth with fluoridated toothpaste twice a day and floss at least once a day.
Q: What's the best candy for my kids' teeth? What's the worst candy (please don't say chocolate)?
A: The best candy for teeth is sugar-free gum. Gum stimulates saliva production, which helps fight dry mouth and rinses away food particles. The worst candies for teeth are sour and tart candies. The acid in the candies wears down enamel, and the sugar feeds the harmful bacteria that cause tooth decay.
Chocolate may not be the best candy for healthy teeth, but it is far from the worst. Chocolate is a better choice than most candy because saliva is able to rinse it from teeth relatively easily. Just make sure to avoid chocolate with sticky fillings, such as caramel.
See how your favorite treats stack up at: www.youroralhealthhub.com/sweets-stack-up/.
Q: As a dentist, what do you give out to Halloween trick-or-treaters?
A: There are many non-candy trick-or-treat options. My favorites are temporary tattoos, stickers and glow-sticks. For more ideas for tooth-friendly Halloween fun, see how the Tooth Fairy does trick-or-treating at ToothFairyTrickyTreats.com.
• In addition to being the dental director for Delta Dental of Illinois, Dr. Spadoni is a practicing dentist in Barrington, where she has been in private practice since 1987. In her role as dental director for Delta Dental of Illinois, she consults on wellness programs and oversees quality of care issues. Delta Dental of Illinois is a not-for-profit dental service corporation that provides dental benefit programs to individuals and more than 5,000 employee groups throughout Illinois.