It’s finally October and that means Halloween is upon us. With the spooky season comes bags, buckets and pillow cases full of candy. Parents may feel torn about this predicament as they remember back to their days of carefree trick-or-treating and now having to be the responsible mom or dad who feels the need to limit their little goblin’s sugar intake. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. With a few little tips, you can instill in your kids the ability to make the right choices when it comes to their Halloween loot.
Easier said than done? Try this approach and mindset: it’s not about the limitation of the candy, but about the longevity of the candy. The deciding factor really should be about how long a piece of candy stays in your child’s mouth.
For probably the first time ever, you don’t need to tell your kids to slow down when it comes to enjoying their treats. The faster they eat them, the less time that sugar is left behind on their teeth. Chocolate sweets are less sticky and easier to consume than hard, sticky candy, especially a lolli-pop that kids may suck on continuously, coating their teeth with sugar.
Cavities are caused by bacteria that produces harmful acid. This bacteria is increased by sugar. So, keep that candy moving and follow it up with good brushing and flossing habits. If you don’t have a toothbrush and toothpaste readily available, have your child rinse their mouth out with water and have them chew some sugarless gum. This will help with saliva production, a natural way to rinse the teeth.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call us. We’re here to answer your questions and to schedule a post-Halloween cleaning. Happy Haunting!
(source: kidsandcavities)
