How To Keep Your Child’s Teeth Healthy and Happy This Halloween
Halloween is a time for you and your kids to wear scary costumes and attend various events where your kid collects loads of tasty candy. During this period, kids can collect different candies, but are they safe for your kid’s teeth? Although Halloween is a time for fun and games, you should take precautions about what goes in your child’s mouth. So now that you cannot prevent your kid from trick or treating, how do you ensure your child’s teeth remain healthy during Halloween?
Halloween Treats to Avoid
The truth is candy is not suitable for teeth, whether you’re an adult or a kid. The reason being candy can lead to cavities if you don’t practice proper oral hygiene. Nevertheless, you cannot prevent your kid from celebrating Halloween, but you can advise them on the Halloween treats to avoid.
Gummy, Chewy or Sticky Candy
First, the pediatric dentist in Greenwood, SC, recommends avoiding chewy, gummy or sticky treats. Why so? When your child consumes a sticky candy, it adheres to the teeth’s surface, making it hard to come off during brushing. When the candy is left behind, it rots, leading to tooth decay and cavities.
On the other hand, if your kid has braces, consuming gummy candy can damage the metallic brackets leading to more dental visits to the kids’ dentist in Greenwood, SC. Therefore, to prevent all these complications, you should ensure your kid avoids consuming or even carrying sticky or gummy candy: as they can eat it when you’re not around.
Hard Candy
When your kid consumes hard candy, it takes some time before the candy finishes. This means your child will be sucking the candy for some time, exposing their teeth to excess sugar, which can cause cavities. Therefore, you should ensure that your child consumes candy that takes less time when sucking.
In addition, hard candy can lead to the wearing off of tooth enamel and damage any dental appliance, like a tooth crown your child might have.
Acidic or Sour Candy
Anything acidic is not suitable for your child’s teeth. This is because the acid can lead to enamel erosion leading to problems like teeth sensitivity. Moreover, acidic or sour candies can also lead to tooth decay which can cause tooth loss.
Better Choices for Halloween Treats
You might be thinking, what candy should your child eat now that Dr John Patangan has advised against the earlier-mentioned treats? Don’t worry; other types of treats are safer for your kid’s teeth.
First is sugarless candies and gums. As the name indicates, these treats have less sugar and will be less harsh on your child’s teeth. Moreover, sugarless candies are not sticky, so your child can easily brush the candy from their teeth.
Make a Halloween Candy Plan
Kids don’t know how to control the urge to eat candy, but you can. Therefore, you should create a candy plan which shows your child the amount of candy they’ve consumed during the Halloween period. With the plan in place, you can reduce the amount of candy your child consumes to prevent excess consumption.
Moreover, you can include a dental appointment before and after Halloween. The importance of taking your child for a dental exam and cleaning near you is that the dentist will remove any candy stuck between your child’s teeth to prevent dental problems like tooth decay.
Allow Kids to Enjoy Treats in Moderation
Treats are suitable for kids, but only when done in moderation. When your kid overindulges in candy-eating, you’ll have to schedule an appointment with the kids’ dentist near you. The reason being candy can damage your child’s teeth leading to tooth decay and cavity.
Brush and Floss Right After Eating Treats
Eating candy leaves particles between teeth. Therefore, you should teach your kid to brush and floss their teeth immediately after taking candy: after all, they’ll be more Halloween, and you want your kid to learn proper oral habits.
Contact Kids First Dental Today
Now that you know how to keep your child’s teeth healthy during Halloween don’t hesitate to book an appointment with us at Kids First Dental, especially after Halloween. Our dentist will examine your child’s teeth, clean them and ensure there are no dental issues that can affect them in the future.