It’s the time of year for spooky tricks and sugar treats, which also means it’s a good time to scare you into good preventative dental care habits — so your teeth can stay healthy throughout all the upcoming holidays.
U.S. consumers spent more than $11 billion on Halloween candy this year, which is half of the amount spent per year on dental care for children 17 and younger. Without preventive dental care, you’re at a higher risk of a costly dental emergency such as a cracked tooth, or long-term dental disease such as periodontitis.
| Worst Halloween Candy for Tooth Health | Halloween Candy That Gets Stuck in Your Teeth, Leading to Cavities |
Can: Crack or chip teeth when you inevitably bite down after a few minutes. It could even cause damage to dental work such as fillings, bridges or crowns. |
Can: Get stuck on teeth with the sugar doing damage to the enamel and increasing your risk for decay and cavities. |
| Source: Healthline, American Dental Association | |
Preventive care starts at home with brushing and flossing as a family. Studies have proven that doing so puts you on track for having a healthier mouth and body.
The next step is regular dental appointments, where the team at Hancock and Johnston Dentistry recommends treatments (such as fillings and extractions) and maintenance to keep you smiling bright for life.
Preserve Your Teeth & Self-Confidence
While everyone benefits from preventative dentistry, it’s exceedingly important for children to receive early care and form healthy habits at a young age so their adult teeth can come in healthy and strong.
Cavities are still a huge childhood health problem in the United States, five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever.
Childhood dental sealants can prevent 80 percent of cavities in children — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that kids who go without sealants have almost three times more cavities than those with sealants.
If you’re an aging adult, the focus on preventive dentistry is to aid you in keeping your real teeth and avoiding dental problems such as cavities, gingivitis, enamel loss and periodontitis. For instance, the CDC reports that half of people older than 30 have some form of periodontal disease.
In addition to a healthy smile and mouth, preventive dentistry can improve your self-confidence and quality of life. Being able to speak clearly, chew easily, and breath without halitosis can make all the difference in your everyday experience.
Improve Overall Health
It’s becoming more clear that there is a correlation between mouth health and overall physical health in adults.
With 25 percent of American adults walking around with untreated tooth decay, it’s only a matter of time before a host of other health issues may pop up, including diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, respiratory disease, dementia and cancer.
In a 2020 report, researchers linked periodontitis with the likelihood of heart attack, stroke, and plaque buildup in the arteries. There is some evidence that bacteria in the mouth travels to arteries, playing a role in vascular illness.
Pregnant women should also continue routine checkups, as poor oral health has been linked to premature birth and low birth weights.
Save Time and Money
Just like the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” By choosing preventive care, you can avoid costly treatment down the line.
In fact, studies have shown that for every $1 spent on preventative dentistry, you can save up to $50 in restorative treatments.
One Medicaid-focused study found that going to a preventive dental visit in a previous year meant fewer subsequent non preventive visits and lower costs.
In another study, scientists discovered that diabetics who were treated for periodontal disease saw their overall health care costs decrease by up to 14 percent.
Visit the Dentist
When your child inevitably breaks out the Halloween loot and cracks down on that Jawbreaker or lets Laffy Taffy linger between their teeth, it’s time to step in and enforce the preventative dental care.
Another recent study by Dental Dental concluded that:
- About 5 in 10 children did not get a sealant placed on at least one permanent first molar by age 10.
- 73% of 15-year-old members at risk had not received a sealant on at least one permanent second molar.
So on top of brushing and flossing at home, make sure to schedule those routine visits, too! Contact your provider at Hancock and Johnston Dentistry to set up an office visit for you and your child today.
