It’s that time of year again: the time for skeletons, black cats, ghosts, and mountains and mountains of candy. While the latter might be your children’s favorite part of Halloween, it is certainly less popular with their teeth and gums. An excessive amount of candy can lead to dental health problems from cavities to tooth decay, but trying to convince your children to give up candy on Halloween will prove to be a major challenge. So are there ways to keep your mouth healthy on Halloween despite all of the chocolate and candy? Read on to find out!
Tips for Halloween Candy Consumption and Healthy Smiles
When it comes to kids and candy, there is an easy way for parents to reach a compromise and help prevent dental health problems caused by excess sugar. Start by having a talk with your children a few days beforehand and set up a plan together. By letting them know what the potential effects of all that sugar at once can have on their teeth, your children will be more willing to space out their candy consumption and take good care of their teeth. On the day itself, once the trick-or-treating is over, have your children spread out their candy on the kitchen table and select a few (no more than 5 mid-sized pieces) of their favorites that they are allowed to eat then and there- in all the excitement of the holiday, it will be difficult to deny them much more! Then, take the remaining candy and divide it up into bags (if you have more than one child) and place them in the fridge or freezer so that they will stay fresh but out of sight. From these bags, your children should be allowed to select a piece or two per night for their dessert on the days following Halloween, with the understanding that they will brush their teeth immediately afterwards. This way, while they still get to enjoy their hard-earned treats, they will enjoy them in moderation. Also, scheduling teeth brushing time right after dessert will get your children in the good habit of cleaning their teeth after sugary sweets and meals.
The key to healthy mouths at Halloween basically boils down to this: allow candy consumption in moderation, followed by good oral hygiene practices, and you should be able to prevent any major dental health issues!
If you want to learn more about Dental Health or if you wish to schedule an appointment, please contact Annapolis Family Dental Care by calling (410) 267-0766 or visit AnnapolisDentalCare.com today! Our diligent knowledge of all dental treatments and extensive experience in all fields of dentistry, ensure Annapolis Dental is best suited to care for your oral health. You can also follow Annapolis Dental Care on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Source:
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/5-tricks-for-dealing-with-halloween-treats