Halloween is a good opportunity for scary stories and fun costumes. It is often seen as a time for people to enjoy plenty of candy, remember that too much can lead to trouble for your smile. Will you end Halloween needing restorative dental work? Should you be afraid of a root canal after your celebrations are over? While an increase in sugar consumption raises your risk for dental decay, a cavity can be caught and treated with a dental filling before it is necessary to perform root canal therapy. With that said, you may require this procedure if a cavity has enough time to cause an infection. At regular dental checkups, problems with decay can be spotted before this occurs. Make sure you have your next checkup booked, and take care to clean your smile and limit sweets to stay cavity-free!
Too Much Candy Can Lead To Cavity Troubles
Adding Halloween candy to your typical diet will expose your teeth to more sugar, and that can lead to problems with tooth decay. Be mindful of this after the holiday, when people tend to have treats left over to enjoy. If you have candy to consume, practice moderation and make changes to your daily diet to lower sugar wherever possible.
Will Your Tooth Decay Require Root Canal Therapy?
If a cavity grows large enough, bacteria will work through your enamel and infect a tooth’s pulp. This leads to an infection that can cause pain, swelling, and sensitivity. To deal with the cavity at this stage, root canal therapy is performed to remove bacteria and infected tissues from the inner chamber of your tooth. Once this is done, a dental crown will be put in place to protect your tooth. Crowns can be made to match the appearance of healthy enamel, which ensures that treatment is not going to change your smile.
Tips For Keeping Your Smile Safe During The Holidays
As reassuring as it can be to know your dentist is ready to restore your tooth, you should commit to avoiding cavities during the holiday (and throughout the rest of the year). At a time when you are likely to consume more sugar, it is particularly important that you keep up with good brushing and flossing habits. Make sure you do this, and encourage your kids to do so as well, as children tend to have a harder time turning down sweets. Drinking more water will help you wash away food debris and keep harmful substances off of your enamel.
Worried About A Cavity? Sunny Smiles Can Help!
Sunny Smiles is ready to help people in and around the El Paso, TX area protect their teeth! To learn more about our preventive and restorative dental services, please call our dentist’s office on N. Zaragoza Road at 915-849-9000.