If you are a typical parent, then you are probably preparing to take your little ones trick-or-treating soon. Obviously, Halloween candy is not good for their teeth, but there are ways to control the damage. By bringing some of the following tips into their yearly candy feast, you can avoid that November trek to the dentist’s office.
Not All Candy Is Created Equally
Sour candy is by far the worst, as it contains acids that can actually dissolve your child’s teeth. Right up there with it, and sometimes worse, is dried fruit. That’s right; you can stop smiling when you see that your kid received raisins from a neighbor. They can stick to the teeth and remain in the mouths of your children for quite some time.
Potato chips seem far less harmful than candy that is pure sugar, yet they too can stick around in the mouth and ultimately turn into cavity-causing sugar. Sticky candies should of course be avoided, for obvious reasons. Removing these culprits from their treat bag is a good idea.
Teach Them Good After-Candy Habits
The best way to help your kids remove the sugar from their mouth is to have them rinse with water after eating candy.
Cheese is another highly beneficial product for your children to consume after eating candy, as it works to rinse sugar away and rebuild any dissolved enamel. Chewing gum, especially sugar-free, is a good idea, because it stimulates the production of saliva, which cleanses the mouth.
If they eat sour candy, it is actually a bad idea to have them brush their teeth right away. Brushing too soon doesn’t allow the saliva to rebuild any lost enamel, and it can permanently erase a thin enamel layer.
Keep Consumption in Moderation
Limit your child’s intake to one piece of candy a day. It’s good to set limits on how much they can eat. For instance, it is actually a much better idea to let your child consume six pieces of candy in a single sitting than it is to allow them to eat two pieces on three different occasions. The pH level in their mouth decreases each time they eat sugar, which allows the formation of cavities.
No Candy Before Bed
The absolute worst time to allow your kids to dip into their Halloween goodies is immediately before bedtime. Our saliva production sleeps as we do, so allowing them to eat sugar right before bed will ensure their teeth of about eight straight hours of sugar contact.
The best time to let your kids eat Halloween candy is after lunch or supper, or after school, when there is an abundance of saliva to aid in cleansing their mouths.
Summary
Hopefully you can put some of these tips to good use and keep your kids’ teeth healthy through the Halloween season. Above all else, let them have fun and enjoy the season, but be vigilant with their dental health.
