Our Family Dentistry Office Has Tips for Keeping Your Teeth Healthy This Halloween

With Halloween right around the corner, our family dentistry office is full of parents wanting to know if eating candy is okay for the health of their children’s teeth.  The simple answer is no.  Eating sugar is bad for your overall health and that of your teeth and gums.  Simultaneously, we understand that avoiding it entirely is typically not an option.  You can try to prevent your kids from eating sweets but to do so entirely can be nearly impossible.Instead, focus on what you can do to keep their teeth healthy and prevent the consequences of eating too much sugar.  Start by scheduling a dental exam to make sure that their teeth are currently in good health.  If they have existing cavities and eat a bunch of sugar, their problems will only intensify.  We recommend that you schedule an appointment for twice a year and fall is an excellent time to do so.When it comes time for trick-or-treating there are steps, you can take to keep your kids in good oral health.  This includes:

• Brush their teeth before you go.  Make sure they start out with clean teeth.  This is also a good trick if you want to make sure that they don’t sneak candy along the way.  It is hard to hide chocolate breath when your teeth have been recently brushed. In our family dentistry office, we recommend using a toothpaste with fluoride because it provides further protection for their teeth.
• Eat dinner.  Feed your kids a healthy dinner that contains lean protein, veggies, and dairy products.  Eating this type of diet on a regular basis will help your child’s teeth to stay strong.  Make sure that they eat a good size portion so that they are full before leaving the house.  This will prevent them from feeling hungry and eating candy as a result.
• Drink water.  Carry a water bottle with you and make sure that your kids drink along the way.  If you do let them have a piece of candy while walking around, they should drink water afterwards in order to wash away the sugar.  When your kids are hydrated, they will also be less likely to overindulge in candy.
• Limit how much they eat.  Don’t let Halloween be a free for all in the candy department.  Set a limit as to how many pieces they can have that night and once the limit is reached, confiscate their candy.  Otherwise, you will probably find an empty bag in the morning.
• Put the candy away.  It is important to put candy in a place that your kids can’t reach so that they are not tempted to grab a piece every time they walk by.  If you hide their candy, you can use it for rewards or you can simply give it away.

After you are finished trick-or-treating, and the kids have reached their set limit of candy, brush their teeth.  It is important to brush away the sugar immediately.  Don’t let it sit there for a prolonged period of time.  If you aren’t at home, bring an antiseptic mouthwash with you that they can use.Have fun and be safe!

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