Now that Halloween is right around the corner, our Cottonwood, AZ dentists and staff would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that too much candy can be bad for your teeth. Of course, we want all our patients, both young and old, to enjoy Halloween because it’s such a fun and exciting holiday! As you begin planning your costume and looking forward to hauling in loads of candy, take some time to brush up on your oral health routine.
Here are a few tips for making your Halloween fun and healthy:
Make sure kids eats a healthy, filling meal before trick or treating as they are less likely to gorge on sweet treats. Set candy limits before you head out the door, reminding your children that too much candy is bad for their teeth. When kids understand boundaries ahead of time they tend to be more accepting. Make a plan with your children to take special care of their teeth after eating sweets by brushing and flossing. The longer sugar is left on the teeth, the more damage it causes. Offer kids sugar-free gum after eating candy if their toothbrushes are not nearby. Gum chewing promotes saliva production that helps neutralize the acids and bacteria that feed off sugar.
When your kids get back from trick-or-treating, go through their candy bags with them. Tell them to pick out a set number of treats (you can decide how many) they want the most. Then put the rest of the candy out of sight.
In the days following Halloween, set a time when your kids are allowed to enjoy their Halloween candy. This will help them learn that eating treats is something special and not something that should be done whenever they like. Plus, knowing that they have a specific treat time will make them less apt to think about eating candy at other times of the day. Decide on a day to end the Halloween feasting and when that day comes, take the candy away. Then you should decide when to bring out small amounts of it for your kids to eat. This allows you to moderate the consumption.
Halloween is also a good time of the year to go over good brushing and flossing techniques with children. Make this a fun activity by brushing and flossing with your child. We recommend having kids brush their teeth 4 times per day to avoid the accumulation of food particles and plaque. Flossing should be done in the evening to make sure teeth are squeaky clean before bedtime.
Have a safe and fun Halloween!
