Halloween doesn’t have to spell cavities for you and your family! Avoid spooky tooth decay by following these simple tips:
- Choose Sugar-Free
- Avoid Hard & Chewy Candy
- Eat Chocolate In Moderation
- Don’t Neglect Oral Hygiene
- Donate Your Candy
Sugar-free gum and sugar-free candy won’t cause damage to teeth. In fact, for kids who are old enough, chewing sugar-free gum is a great way to stimulate the production of saliva and help remineralize teeth affected by early-stage decay. If you don’t want to give out sugar-free candy, but don’t want to provide treats that may harm teeth, there are many non-food goodies. Pencils, stickers, erasers, glow sticks, and temporary tattoos are all fun for kids!
Hard candy and chewy candy are the worst for teeth. Both of them are hard to clean off of teeth, even with thorough brushing and flossing. And when these sugary particles linger on teeth, oral bacteria eat them and produce acids that erode enamel, which leads to cavities. We recommend removing these treats from your family’s Halloween haul, or at least only eating a few pieces and following up with a big glass of water.
Studies have shown that dark chocolate provides healthy antioxidants that may reduce the risk of heart disease. For kiddos that don’t like super dark chocolate, even milk chocolate is better for teeth than chewy or hard candy. It dissolves quickly and cleans off teeth easier than many other types of candy. However, any chocolate with sugar should still be eaten in moderation, and followed up with plenty of water.
On Halloween night, make sure everyone in your family brushes their teeth for two minutes with a soft-bristled toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste, brushes their tongue, and flosses. Daily oral care is imperative every day, but especially in the days following Halloween when your family is eating more candy than usual.
We recommend donating your leftover candy to a good cause. Operation Gratitude sends care packages to soldiers to give them a taste of home as they serve our country.
Bethea Family Dentistry Wishes You a Safe & Happy Halloween!
We hope you’ll have a fun time this Halloween. Bring a flashlight when trick or treating, and check all of your candy to make sure it’s fully wrapped before opening. And of course encourage every member of your family to take good care of their teeth. One way to care for your oral health is to maintain routine dental visits. Contact us today to schedule appointments for your entire family! We look forward to seeing you soon.
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