San Francisco and Marin CA
Candy is everywhere on Halloween! The seasonal celebration brings a lot of spooky things, but cavities don’t have to be one! The likelihood is that if your child goes trick-or-treating this year, they will come home with a lot of unhealthy goodies. Even while they can still enjoy dressing up to go trick or treating, there are some simple steps you can do to reduce the possibility of all that candy damaging your children’s teeth. Our Marin family dentists at Glen Park Dental share on the blog today how you and your children can enjoy Halloween candy without wrecking your teeth.
Consume in Moderation
Instead of giving your kid a whole candy bar, encourage them to consume fun-sized treats. The flavor is the same in smaller quantities, but there are fewer calories and sugar.
Drink Water
Water is fantastic for your teeth and mouth in addition to being good for your general health. Water consumption aids in rinsing away the sugar that might otherwise adhere to teeth. Additionally, it restores the mouth’s pH, which sugar disturbs.
Limit Frequency
The frequency with which you consume candy is related to your risk of cavities. Try not to let your youngster graze on their Halloween sweets all day long. Instead, encourage them to have a small amount with lunch or dinner. Therefore, consuming candy in one sitting is better than eating it throughout the day between meals.
Avoid Chewy or Sticky Treats
Gummy bears, caramels, and taffy are examples of very sticky candies that adhere to your teeth and are hard to get rid of, even with routine brushing and flossing. Avoid eating these sweets as much as you can since they can cause tooth decay to develop more quickly and stay on the teeth for extended periods.
Avoid Sour Candies
Although tooth enamel is the strongest substance in the human body, it can be severely harmed by sour candy acids that break down enamel easily and very rapidly.
Pass on Hard Candy
Lollipops and hard candies take a while to melt and linger in your child’s mouth for a long time. Our Marin family dentists explain that this gives bacteria plenty of time to begin coating teeth with sugar and turning it into acid.
Chew Sugar-Free Gum
Increased saliva production from chewing sugar-free gum helps wash out acids and germs that are present after eating sweets. The reason why xylitol-containing gum is so successful is that it actively prevents the teeth’s enamel from producing the acid that causes decay.
Brush After Eating
The greatest technique to prevent cavities is always to clean your teeth and gums. To get rid of the dangerous germs, have your youngster wash their teeth as quickly as possible after eating sweets.
Participate in Candy Buyback Programs
Children may trade their candy for money, toothbrushes, coupons, and xylitol products in some communities that offer candy buyback programs. Visit Halloween Candy Buyback to find a location near you.
Family Dentist in Marin, Oakland, and San Francisco, California
Halloween is one of those special times when most parents and children neglect their oral health and dive hands first into the candy stash. Although consuming sweet treats on Halloween is not bad, there are a few things to remember to prevent severe damage to your tooth enamel. So, the next time you walk by the Halloween candy bowl, think twice about your oral health and make wise decisions. After Halloween is a fantastic time to schedule a checkup and cleaning at our Marin dental office to ensure your oral health remains tip-top. Therefore, please call Glen Park Dental at (415) 585-1500 or contact us online to request an appointment.
