Managing Cavities During the Holiday Season

"The doctors at Elite Smiles Little Chute are gentle and want to make sure you are comfortable during your visit for a filling. They made sure I was numb and checked on me multiple times while they were working."

- A Patient of Elite Smiles

Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are just around the corner, and now is the time to remind patients of the importance of taking care of their oral health when indulging in all of the yummy treats during the holiday season.

Anytime we introduce more sugar to our diet, it heightens the chance of cavity formation. Halloween, St. Nick, Christmas stockings, among other holidays this time of year provide ample opportunity for increases in sweets consumption. Limiting the amount of sugar eaten per day, regular brushing and flossing, and at the least, rinsing with water after eating sugar, will help to stop the formation of cavities while going through this sweet time of year.

Our biggest tip for everyone is: Don't eat candy all day long! Choose the pieces you want for the day, eat them, and then brush and floss after. This is especially true for patients who are high-cavity prone.

Cavities aren’t always seen, but your body can send you signs that they are there. Look out for sensitivity to sweets or cold or dark spots on teeth. However, many cavities in their early stages may not show any symptoms at all. This is why regular dental check-ups are crucial. We suggest coming in every six months; however, patients who are highly cavity prone may need to see their dentist more often. If you suspect you have a cavity, it's important to call your dentist for an exam.

If you are a high-cavity prone patient, we sell prescription strength fluoride toothpaste at our office. We also sell a fluoride free anti-cavity toothpaste for those patients who prefer no additional fluoride in their diet. We use Pearl AI in our office to assist our providers in identifying decay early on x-rays so cavities can be fixed while small, which results in preserving more tooth structure and placing smaller restorations.

If you are facing any pain, please give our office a call and we will be happy to help!