With Halloween just around the corner you might be wondering how much candy is soon to enter your home. The answer is probably a lot, and that means the potential for cavities increases too! At Edgewood Dental care we want your children to be able to enjoy the holiday in safety while still being able to snack on all that precious candy, but what’s a parent to do?
We want to take the time to help you understand what sugar does to your teeth and how to stop it. We’re also going to include some handy tips for keeping your children’s teeth safe and snacking limited!
What Does Sugar Do In Your Mouth?
There’s a complicated sequence of events that happens when you eat sugar. It all starts with the bacteria in your mouth – it loves sugar as much as you do! When those bacteria metabolize the sugar they quickly turn them into acids that destroy your teeth! Slowly but surely you end up with tooth decay, cavities, and you also run the risk of gum disease!
The acid attacks from oral bacteria last for about a half an hour after you stop eating candy. Think about that in terms of a long-term candy binge: constant acid attacks! That’s why the risk of cavities increases so much around holidays with candy-centered themes!
It can be tough to limit the candy your children eat. You want them to have fun but not at the expense of their oral health! There are certain things you can do to encourage good habits and responsible snacking without the severe risks of cavities!
Tips For A Mouth-Healthy Halloween
These tips are easy to integrate into your holiday. By following these suggestions you can make your Halloween fun for your children and safe for their teeth!
- Before you go out for a night of trick-or-treating be sure to feed your children a big healthy meal. This will keep them powered up for a night of fun and keep them full. By the time you get home they might not even want candy. If they do it hopefully won’t be that much!
- If you children do want to snack when they get back you should let them – it’s Halloween! But make sure they understand that this is their one day of candy binging. After that it’s time to get responsible about their snacking and their teeth!
- While your children snack try to make sure they have water to drink. Don’t give them soda or juice – that’s just adding another acid attack onto the one the candy is causing! Water helps wash away food particles that get caught in their teeth and also washes away acid and bacteria. It’s the best drink to have when snacking on sweets!
- Make sure that your children are brushing their teeth at least twice a day, especially during this candy-heavy time! Brushing should be done for at least two minutes and also make sure you’re having them floss in the evenings if they are old enough. This is the best way to prevent cavities at home!
- After Halloween it’s a good idea to ration your children’s candy intake. By letting them pick out a few pieces a day you’re teaching them to be responsible by making it last and being aware of the health consequences of too much sugar. You can even offer them extra pieces if they help out around the house!
- If you think they ended up with too much candy you can offer to buy some of it back! By offering a few cents a piece you can get the candy out of their hands and give them some extra spending money! It’s a great way to help them limit their sugar!
The Most Important Part: Professional Care
Preventing cavities at home through diet management and brushing can only go so far! The best way to ensure that your children are maintaining a healthy mouth is by seeing us at Edgewood Dental Care every six months for a dental checkup. By seeing them every six months we can prevent problems from getting worse and keep a good record of your children’s oral health for years – it’s great to have a continuing record!
Ensure your children’s mouths stay healthy by calling Edgewood Dental Care today! You can make an appointment for you or anyone in your family by calling 859-474-7830 or by filling out our online appointment request form! We look forward to seeing you soon!