Halloween is a holiday kids look forward to celebrating. Many children get to dress up in costumes and receive candy from people who open their doors to children who go trick-or-treating on this day. Some kids come home with way too many sweets.
Halloween is almost here, and you may be dreading it because you know that if your kids eat too much candy, they can develop cavities. If you let them go trick-or-treating, they might come home with a shopping bag full of these treats. So, what should you do?
Let your children celebrate Halloween. Let them have some candy, but know what kind of candy can help promote good oral health and what kind can damage their teeth. If you don’t let your kids have any candy, they’ll desire the sweet stuff even more. They may eat it at a friend’s house without you knowing it, and they may consume more candy than they should. This list includes candy that’s bad for your children’s teeth and candy that’s good for their oral health. Use this information to prevent Halloween candy from causing dental problems.
Candy That Harms Teeth
Sweets that stick to teeth are high on the list of cavity-causing candies. Taffy and candy that’s chewy or gummy get lodged between the teeth very easily, and because this type of candy adheres to the teeth so strongly, it’s not very likely that saliva will help rinse it away. Other sticky sweets are dried fruits like raisins, dates, and apricots.
Candy that damages the enamel on the teeth shouldn’t be eaten without caution. This type of candy includes acidic candy and sour candy. When children eat this type of sweet treat, it’s best that they wait 30 minutes before they brush their teeth. Waiting 30 minutes helps to prevent spreading the acid in the mouth, and it can reduce the risk of causing damage to the enamel.
Sweet treats that produce acid in your child’s mouth can cause cavities. Aside from candy, these treats include cake and cookies.
Candy That’s Beneficial to Dental Health
Treats that encourage saliva production can help to prevent cavities. These types of treats include hard sugar-free candy.
Gum without sugar can help to prevent cavities. Gum chewing moves food out of the spaces between the teeth, and it stimulates saliva production. It offers protection against cavities, and it makes acid in the mouth neutral.
Do not let your children eat their Halloween candy all day long. Allow them the pleasure of indulging in their sweet treats at a certain time. Keep in mind, the longer sugar and acid linger in the mouth, the greater the risk for cavities.
Because your children will be eating more candy on Halloween, replacing their toothbrushes at this time is a good idea. To encourage them to use these brushes, take your kids with you to the store and let them select their toothbrushes. Make sure they use their toothbrushes two times a day. They should brush two minutes each time they brush their teeth, and they should use floss one time every day.
In order to make sure your children are brushing and flossing correctly, give them guidance. Stop helping them when they are approximately 8 years old, and watch to make sure they are doing it right until you see that they really know what they’re doing. Make certain your older children brush their teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride.