Enjoy Halloween Candy Carefully
Halloween is that time of the year that kids look forward too. It is complete free reign on candies and chocolates, and more on how much they can gather and eat. For adults and children, however, it can be bad news. There is always the fear of impending cavities or tooth decay that could be triggered by candy intake.
Well, one need not always be worried by the candy intake. The truth is one can be safe even after consuming all those candies. Here are some care tips that will help get through this year’s Halloween without having to fear about cavities.
Care for Teeth After Halloween Candy Consumption
- As parents you can regulate the number of candies your children consume. Check what they are consuming. Make sure they do not bite in on hard candies, as they can chip and cause damage to the enamel of the tooth. Try and keep away the gooey type ones that stick to the enamel. So make sure you know what they consume and are aware of the negative effects of each.
- Don’t just let your kids relish on the candies. Make sure they have a proper meal before eating sweets. The saliva that is produced helps to wash down the germs and also minimize the acid production that happens during candy intake.
- No matter how much and what your child consumes, make sure he/she brushes and flosses well. After Halloween make them take that extra effort to brush their teeth well. This will help the teeth be free of sugar and any chemicals that the candy might contain.
- Drink plenty of water that will help wash away any acids. It is not a very pleasurable thing to consume for kids, but incentivize them and make sure they drink as much. If you can get fluoridated water, make sure they drink it, as it helps to lessen the possibility of tooth decay and onset of cavities.
These small tips will help you and your child go through Halloween happily and enjoy it, rather than be scared of it. You can also schedule an appointment with your dentist to make sure all is well after Halloween.
Post Halloween Dental Care
With Halloween begins the fun times and the non-stop access to candy. Bags of candy that can almost last a whole year until you are into the next Halloween. Wait, stop! It could certainly make your child happy, but did you think of the damage it can cause on an ongoing basis?
There are ways to counter the consumption of candy. While you completely cannot stop the consumption of candy, you can certainly make sure that not much damage is done post Halloween or even after one is allowed to consume candy. With parental guidance and support, your children can achieve the best of oral care and grow up with the finest set of teeth.
It is a common factor that the most common cause of oral problems is tooth decay. The sticky candy and the sweetness of it all, plays havoc on the teeth. In addition to the fact, is that children are more often than not distracted enough to brush and floss their teeth properly. The candy stays in the grooves and crevices of the teeth. Candy can also stick to the enamel of the teeth. Sour candy, which is a much liked candy amongst children, can cause major damage by burning the tissues on the gums. As also, hard candy can cause chips and cracks in the teeth. With that said you may want to restrict the following types of candy and remove them from their bags totally.
- Tootsie Rolls or any sticky candy
- Caramel candy (Milk Duds)
- Jolly Ranchers
- Sour Skittles or similar sour candy
- Suckers or any form of hard candy
Recommendations for Parents Post Halloween
Make sure to help brush your child’s teeth instead of leaving it to them. They may be too distracted to do so. Ask them to rinse their mouth after consuming candy, as many times as they eat them. This removes the chances of plaque and the onset of bacteria. Flossing may not seem important to the, but talk to them about the advantages of flossing and ask them to do it without fail.
Last but not the least, take them to the dentist to get their teeth and gums checked post Halloween, to make sure all is well.
