Halloween is upon us and the children are getting excited for ghouls, goblins, and treats. \u00a0If your kids are like mine, they tend to over indulge in all those sweet treats after they return home from a successful trick or treat excursion. \u00a0Parents, we all know that sugar and candy are bad for our kids, but it sure is hard to say “No”. \u00a0Here are few tips that will allow your children to enjoy Halloween, and protect their teeth from damage.<\/p>\n
1. \u00a0Inspect the candy thoroughly to make sure there are no opened packages, defective candies, or suspicious treats. \u00a0Dispose of these immediately.<\/p>\n
2. \u00a0Have your child pick out their favorite types of treats. \u00a0Dispose of the treats that your child doesn’t like. \u00a0If they like them all, have them choose their favorites that they are going to eat. \u00a0You can offer prizes, money, or other incentives for the treats our children chose to give up.<\/p>\n
3. \u00a0 Set aside 1-2 candy eating sessions in the next couple of days. \u00a0Limit their exposure to sugars and acids to single settings. \u00a0Snacking on less candy for longer periods of time actually does more damage to the teeth, than eating lots of candy in short amount of time. \u00a0When choosing this option, be reasonable in the amount you allow your children to consume.<\/p>\n
4. \u00a0Skip sugary and acidic drinks (juices, sodas, gatorade, etc) during halloween. \u00a0Water or milk will help neutralize the acids and return the mouth to a more regular pH.<\/p>\n
5. \u00a0Don’t forget to brush and floss before bedtime. \u00a0Adding a fluoride rinse such as ACT will hep re-mineralize teeth and help prevent cavities<\/p>\n
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The link below has some wonderful safety tips from the Centers for Disease Control .<\/p>\n