It’s not long until Halloween, and children across New South Wales have probably begun planning out costumes, gathering up face paint and searching for the largest trick or treat bag they can find. While it’s exciting, it’s important to remember that too much of the wrong lollies this October can easily lead to a trip to the children’s dentist in Bondi Junction.
Although it’s only one night of collecting sweets, the stash will probably last for a while and eating large amounts of sugary treats everyday can affect your teeth, whether they’re the milk or adult set.
Treating cavities is nothing new for Bondi dentists, but they can be uncomfortable and expensive to deal with, so taking small steps to protect your teeth this month could go a long way,
Understanding how lollies can contribute to tooth decay is important. When consumed, the sugar within hard boiled sweets, jellies, sours and fizzy drinks is released in the mouth where the bacteria within the plaque on our teeth consume it for energy. This produces an acid which attacks the enamel coating on your teeth.
The hardest substance in the human body is enamel, a protective coating on the teeth that helps to prevent our teeth from getting chipped or damaged. However, the acid that results from the sugar and bacteria reaction dissolves this and the result is a small hole, also known as a dental cavity.
Other treats such as toffee, fudge and chocolate that cling to the teeth or leave a residue are even more of a risk for this.
Regardless of whether you have milk teeth, permanent teeth or a mix of both, you are at risk of dental cavities, caries, tooth decay and all the consequences of these.
How do you know if you have a cavity?
If the cavity is in one of the teeth closer to the front of your mouth, you may notice it when you open your mouth in the mirror; it will look like a small black spot, usually on the top of the tooth where it comes into contact with food.
However, because we do the majority of chewing with our molars and premolars at the back of the mouth, it is hard to see if there is decay back there. So, you need to ‘listen to your mouth’ and take note if you experience any of the following symptoms.
● An intense, continuous toothache that you can’t ignore. It may become more painful suddenly, even when it’s not being used.
● Sensitive teeth. If you’re eating or drinking something quite hot or quite cold and your tooth feels tender, this could be a sign of a cavity, particularly if the sensation doesn’t go away after repeated use of sensitive tooth products.
● Bad breath that doesn’t improve with brushing and mouthwash can also be a sign of tooth decay or an infection.
● A continuous bad taste in your mouth may also be a cause to get checked for caries.
Why you need to treat it
If you don’t deal with cavities correctly and promptly, the bacteria will eventually enter the soft tissue in the centre of the tooth where your nerves and blood vessels are. The pain will intensify at this stage but regardless of that, the patient will be at risk of developing a dental abscess, an infection in the bone or the need to have the tooth extracted.
How else can lollies damage your teeth?
But that’s not the only thing to be careful about as you chew on some sweets this Halloween. If you are a little older and have had a filling in the past, chewy pastille style sweets, hard gummies or toffees are to be avoided. These are stronger than you think and they will cling to the filling, possibly dislodging it from the tooth. Not only will this hurt, but you’ll find yourself back in the dental clinic having to get a replacement.
If you have braces, do not risk eating these types of lollies. The discomfort and inconvenience that comes with broken hardware in the mouth is not to be underestimated, so try and stick to lollies that won’t get caught in your braces and chew them gently, in moderation.
How to avoid these problems this Halloween?
You can help to keep your teeth healthy this Halloween by keeping the sticky, sour and hard lollies to a minimum. These ones are particularly dangerous for your teeth, so try to avoid them if you can.
If you’ll be the one supplying the treats, look for sugar free options. Many brands offer a sugar free version for diabetics and those watching their health, so they should be easy to find in the supermarket. Often they taste the same, but the risk of damaging your teeth is much lower.
In the days after Halloween, encourage children to eat their lollies just after a meal. This can be an effective way to lower the risk of tooth decay, as there is more saliva in the mouth, which helps to keep the acid from eroding the enamel.
Drinking more water rather than fizzy drinks will also help to wash the sugar off the surface of your teeth. And of course, you should brush your teeth thoroughly, floss twice a day and stay on top of your general oral hygiene.
Bondi dentists and those working in dental clinics around Woollahra don’t expect people to cut out lollies altogether, but they do want people to eat them in moderation, and be aware that there are simple steps you can take to minimise the risk of tooth decay.
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