Sugar, Spooks & Smile Hacks: Dental Digest Q&A

Halloween candy season is upon us—and who better to decode the trick-or-treat tooth toll than Dr. Anthony Baroud, aka Dental Digest—dentist, viral educator and the internet’s favorite plaque whisperer. In this quick Q&A he’s breaking down what sugar actually does to enamel, the no-fuss post-candy routine kids will actually follow, and how he turned toothbrush science into a global content empire—one hilarious demo at a time. —Noa Nichol

If Halloween candy were a villain, who’s the big baddie — gummy bears, sour belts, or chocolate — and why?

The BIGGEST villain is for sure SOUR BELTS! The main ingredient, Citric acid, gives sour belts that mouthwatering zing. It is quite possibly one of the worst things to expose your teeth to! Essentially, that ingredient will dissolve your teeth and causes cavities to form at a faster rate than traditional candy. Now that’s scary… 

You stumble on a sugar-crash scene at 9 p.m. — what’s your three-step emergency routine to save tiny teeth (and parental sanity)?

Rinse your mouth out with water 

Make sure nothing is sticking to your teeth before bed…BRUSH & FLOSS

No double dipping back into the candy bowl after you brush! 

True or false — chocolate is less cavity-y than gummy worms? Break out the science.

TRUE! 

Think about cavities like a game. The more your teeth are exposed sugar, the more likely they are to get cavities. So, now the battle is chocolate vs gummy worms! Which one will stick your teeth the longest? Which one will dissolve away the fastest? 

Which trick-or-treat swap would you pitch to parents who want to dodge candy meltdowns but keep the fun?

There are SOO many delicious candy options out there, and thanks to some awesome innovation, there’s lots of candies with reduced or zero sugar. Personally, I’d be swapping out chewy caramels for sugar free snacks for my little one!  

Give us a viral-worthy brushing hack that gets kids cheering (and parents begging for more).

My goal in life is to make brushing fun! So, in almost every video I show viewers HOW TO GAMIFY the brushing routine! Using a Fat Glob Plaque Disclosing tablet, the plaque on my teeth are colored, so I know exactly where to brush! While this method is slightly messy, it’s the ultimate brushing hack so everyone knows that the plaque is gone! 

What’s the funniest reaction you’ve seen on camera after a Halloween plaque-reveal demo?

After creating of one the scariest toothbrushes ever…the “TEETHBRUSH” a toothbrush that uses “fake” teeth as bristles. I wanted to see how well a scary toothbrush can clean… if you want to see how well it cleans you need to check out that video. Hint: the results were pretty scary 🙂 

Walk us through the perfect “candy recovery” snack or routine that actually helps teeth — and kids will eat.

After all the candy has been eaten, it’s best to rinse with water. Brushing immediately after eating sour candy could cause further damage to the teeth. It’s important to wait 30 minutes before brushing. 

Rinse, clean off any sticky candy, my favorite snack that cleans my teeth is carrots, then remember to brush at night before sleeping 

How did you go from dental school to TikTok stardom — and what branding trick should clinicians steal to go viral responsibly?

It all started with 1 video and a dream to make brushing fun! For my branding success, it’s been all about consistency and always showing up and hitting record. 

If handed a bag of weird treats (soda gummy, caramel apple, sour spray), what rapid live demo would you do to show the damage?

In the relentless journey to make brushing fun, I launched a product that colors the plaque on your teeth so you know and can see where to brush! My brand, Fat Glob Plaque disclosing tablets, shows exactly where the plaque is hiding so no damage will be done to your teeth. 

Beyond Oct. 31, what tiny habit changes should families adopt so Halloween doesn’t become a month-long dental horror story?

After those sweet treats, rinse with water! Also make sure to use a fluoride or nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste to fight plaque and strengthen your teeth! if it’s late and you want something sweet: try xylitol gum! It stimulates saliva, which is your body’s best defense against cavities, because saliva contains important minerals like calcium and phosphates to help strengthen your teeth and battle against cavities. Lastly, don’t forget to brush for two minutes, morning and night!