Enjoy Halloween Without The Scare Of Cavities This Season

As you search for the perfect Halloween costume for your child

, and even yourself, there is one more task you should never forget-establishing proper oral health care. While it is essential to maintain a proper oral hygiene regimen all year, it is even more important to practice those skills during the holiday season when sweets and candies are in abundance. With Halloween right around the corner, your children may be looking forward to bags of free candy and a chance to build up their very own stockpile of sweets for the winter season (if they will last that long). Halloween is a fun event that families can enjoy together, but it can also present you with a variety of health and safety challenges. By taking charge of your child's trick-or-treating and candy consumption, you can help maintain your child's healthy smile for a lifetime.

Avoid Scary Halloween Treats like Cavities

While you can't regulate the candy that is offered by other families this Halloween, you can offer your own healthy alternatives to candy. Eating sweets can cause damaging acids to form in the mouth, which then continue to affect the teeth for at least 20 minutes before they are neutralized. When thinking about the treats you are going to offer, try sugar-free gums containing the artificial sweetener xylitol because it is effective in combating the bacteria in plaque and fighting the acid that eats away at enamel. The chewing motion also helps to stimulate the flow of saliva, which helps to cleanse your teeth, making sugar-free gum a smart choice to drop into Halloween bags.

Limit the Amount of Time Sugar is in Contact

When going through your child's candy for a safety check, also check for candy that can be eaten quickly, like miniature candy bars. Be sure to discard hard or sticky candies such as sugared fruit snacks, caramels or lollipops, as they increase the period of time that your child's teeth are exposed to sugar. Instead of not allowing candy, try encouraging your child to eat a small amount of candy in one sitting followed by a glass of water and thorough tooth brushing. It is not a good idea to allow your child to freely eat candy throughout the day, as this will increase the amount of time that sugar comes in contact with teeth, which can lead to cavities and more trips to the dentist. Even though sweets are blamed for majority of tooth decay, all foods can promote decay if they are eaten in excess-even health alternatives such as fruit and nuts.

Brush up on Your Child's Dental Health Habits

For Halloween, and even the holidays following, it is important to remind your children about the importance of healthy teeth and gums. Your children should always brush their teeth at least twice a day, as recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA). Using fluoride toothpaste is also essential as it helps to fight off cavities. Have your children replace their toothbrushes every three or four months, or even sooner if the bristles are frayed. Additionally, don't forget to have your children floss at least once a day to help remove plaque and food particles from between the teeth and under the gum line.

Talk to your Grosse Pointe Dentist today for more information on how you can ensure your child enjoys their Halloween without the threat of cavities this season.

by: Gen Wright

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