This spooky occasion gives us nightmares as there is sugary snacks absolutely everywhere! Keep your gnashers healthy and cavity free this Halloween by following this oral health advice.
Allow Your Kids to Enjoy their Treats in Moderation
The main thing to remember on Halloween is to allow your kids to enjoy their treats… but moderation is key!
Pick Wisely
Some sweets are worse than others so take out the ones that are the worst for your teeth. The ones that do the most damage are sticky sweets such as toffees and hard candies which cling to your teeth. The stickier the sweet the longer it takes to get washed away by saliva, increasing the risk for tooth decay.
Chocolate
Chocolate is the best option for your children to eat, is it easier to clean after eating. We would suggest sitting down with your child and going through what they have been given while they have been trick or treating. This way you can keep an eye on what sort of treats they will be consuming. Hopefully avoiding the sticky, harmful sweets. You could even donate some sweets to the homeless or a food bank.
Set Limits
When eating sweets/sugary foods timing is important, don’t snack or nurse it throughout the day or even eat subconsciously watching the tv. Instead try to eat the treats as part of a meal i.e. as a dessert. Saliva production increases during meals which lowers the risk of cavities.
Brush twice a day
This is more crucial than ever, while your children may be consuming more sugary treats than normal. Make sure they brush their teeth for 2 minutes in the morning and 2 minutes at night before bed.
And although brushing straight after eating sweets may seem like a good idea it is better to wait a bit as the acid produced softens the enamel and brushing it can damage the teeth and make them sensitive. Instead wait 45 minutes before brushing.
Spit not rinse
Remember to brush with a fluoride toothpaste and to spit not rinse it away so the fluoride helps to strengthen the enamel and protect it from cavities.
We hope this helps you as parents to help your children have a fun and healthy Halloween!