Now that it’s October, children and adults alike are looking forward to the end of the month, and, more specifically, Halloween. Aside from Valentine’s Day, it is the one day that gives you the perfect excuse to scarf down all your favorite sweet treats, both old-fashioned and newer options. If you have a sweet tooth, however, you really don’t need Halloween to serve as an excuse for munching on your prized candies. When it comes to the kids, you may put restrictions on how much candy they eat and how often they have it, but Halloween can be an exception to that rule. Of course, as a parent, you can always take away candy when you think your child is over-indulging. At the same time, you don’t want your child’s teeth to pay the price of too much sweet snacking.

Effects of Too Much Sugar

Obviously, even if your child were to pig out on a bunch of retro sweets, such as Jelly Babies, bonbons, rhubarbs, wine gum, custards and other yummy options all on the night of Halloween alone, it wouldn’t harm their teeth. After all, issues like tooth decay, cavities and gum disease build up over time instead of immediately. At the same time, you want to stress in your child the importance of practicing good oral hygiene, which means brushing their teeth twice a day. If you have a teen, you should encourage them to begin flossing as well to spare them problems once they reach adulthood. The good preventative measures should always be taught to your kids at an early age so that they can take these practices well into their formative years and throughout their adult years alike.

Some Candies are Worst Than Others

It’s important to know that while teaching your kids about the importance of good oral hygiene practices is essential for healthy, strong teeth well into their adulthood, there are certain candies that are worse for the teeth. The types that are meant to be sucked on for long periods, such as toffee, caramel and lollipops, stay in the mouth much longer than those that are meant to be chewed. As a result, they may not necessarily be good for the teeth, especially when they stick to them. At the same time, as long as your child brushes their teeth shortly after eating the sweet, sticky treats, they should be okay. However, these are the kinds of candies that should not be eaten by anyone with braces due to the fact that they can stick to the wires and brackets and may be difficult to simply brush away with a toothbrush or eliminate while swishing water in the mouth. Additionally, certain dental appliances are made of materials that may not react well when the person is eating these types of candies. Retro sweets like Blackjacks, Toffee Treacles and Strawberry Lollies may be old favorites, but they are that much more enjoyable if your teeth are in good shape. If you’re looking for candy for Halloween to hand out to trick or treaters, consider buying those that are better for kids’ teeth, such as candy bars and other options that can be finished quickly.

Importance of Good Oral Hygiene

Obviously, too much sugar over time can lead to tooth decay and cavities. This can happen to kids as well as adults when they over-indulge to an excessive extent. However, that can only happen when there is a lack of important oral hygiene practices performed on a daily basis. If a child or even adult neglects to brush their teeth at night on consecutive days after munching on too many sweet treats, it can have an adverse effect on their teeth and lead to tooth decay. When it comes to your kids, teaching them the importance of brushing twice daily is tantamount. Particularly on Halloween, your child should brush their teeth thoroughly and maybe even do it a third time during the day. Rinsing out their mouth with water is equally important as it will help to wash away all the sticky stuff that can lead to the development of cavities.

If you are in the Frisco, Aubrey and Little Elm, Texas area and need a great pediatric dentist, contact Kidzania at your earliest convenience.