It’s about to be Halloween and you may be weighing strategies for how to manage candy consumption in your home for a variety of health-related reasons. Below are some tips on how to enjoy Halloween candy while keeping your kids cavity free!
- Moderation – We aren’t saying no to candy, but we do suggest creating a candy timeframe and quantity limit. Two small pieces per day for a couple of days with a gradual decrease to one piece per day by the end of one week should be enough. After week one, candy can be donated or disposed of. If you must stretch out candy consumption to two weeks, make sure you reduce the total amount of candy by week two to one small piece per day.
- Don’t forget good oral health habits – Halloween and its aftermath are not the time to pass on brushing twice per day and flossing. Wait a little while after candy consumption for the saliva to naturally wash some of the candy left on and in your child’s teeth away before brushing. This will allow some of the more deeply rooted candy to be removed from the teeth during brushing.
- Drink water – Drinking water while eating candy and afterwards will add reinforcement to what natural saliva wash will do to wash away candy debris. It will also help with hydration and digestion.
- Watch the gummy, sticky candy – Believe it or not, gummy and sticky candy can do more damage than chocolate. The sugars from gummy and sticky candy can linger on the teeth longer, so make sure to have your child put down that lollipop after too long and brush and floss well after eating candies like gummy bears, taffy, gumdrops, and jellybeans.
With these tips, you should be able to enjoy Halloween without worrying about fillings!
Pediatric Dental Associates of Alabama is led by top-rated pediatric dentists with locations in Birmingham, Cullman, Hoover, Medplex, Oxford and Pell City. When looking for your child’s dentist, know that we aspire to be the premier provider of pediatric dental services in Alabama. We also provide orthodontics in our Hoover, Medplex and Cullman locations. Beautiful smiles are our specialty!