Halloween can be frightening fun for parents and children alike, but it can also put you face to face with the very real fear of cavities. The sugar in all that candy your little ones collect will encourage the bacteria in their mouths to create acid that wears away enamel. To avoid this decay, here are 5 tips from your dentist on what to do with your Halloween candy once November arrives.
1. Reduce the Amount of Candy
Obviously, simply reducing the amount of candy can go a long way towards preventing cavities. You can do this by limiting how many houses they visit during the night. Alternatively, you might offer them some sort of prize that they could exchange some of their candy for. You can donate extra candy to charity, or you might look for a candy buyback program near your home.
2. Be Picky About the Candy You Keep
Some kinds of candy are worse for your dental health than others. For example, sucking on hard candies like jawbreakers and peppermints means keeping the sugar in your mouth for a longer time period, increasing the risk of decay. (Chewing on such candies isn’t much better, as this might break your teeth.) Similarly, sticky candy causes the sugar to stick onto your enamel, giving oral bacteria more of a chance to feed on it. Finally, sour candy can be particularly harmful; not only does it contain sugar, but it’s also acidic, meaning it causes direct harm to the tooth.
3. Be Careful About Eating Candy Too Often
It’ll be better for your teeth to spread out your candy consumption instead of snacking on it too often throughout the day. The best time for a sugary snack is right after dinner; a good meal will increase the flow of cleansing saliva that can help clean the mouth of bacteria and food particles.
4. Drink Plenty of Water
Like saliva, drinking some water after eating candy will help rinse the sugar out of your mouth. Encourage your children to drink fluoridated water, whether it comes from the sink or a bottle. The fluoride will provide extra protection against decay, which is especially important around Halloween.
5. Don’t Forget About Regular Brushing and Flossing!
It’s important to brush and floss twice a day throughout the year, of course, but these practices become especially important in the weeks after Halloween when you and your little ones are indulging in more sweet treats than usual.
It might also be a good idea to schedule a preventive checkup with your children’s dentist around this time of year; a thorough cleaning could give your little ones the extra protection they need for their smiles. By taking the right precautions, you can help your family have a happy, healthy Halloween.
About the Practice
At Prime Dentistry in Denton, TX, we strive to create a warm, friendly atmosphere so that your family can enjoy stress-free dental appointments. For your little ones, we can use dental sealants and fluoride to give their teeth an additional layer of defense against decay. If you have concerns about cavities around Halloween, you can schedule an appointment by visiting our website or calling (940) 514-0333.
