Halloween is Coming… What Treats will you be getting?
Dental tips and tricks for your little ones this Halloween
While Halloween is an exciting time for kid’s, it can be a nightmare for many parents.
Dr. Niall Sharkey at Market Green Dental Care would like to share Colgate’s helpful tips + advice on how to prevent cavities this Halloween.
COLGATES WORST AND (BEST) SWEETS FOR KIDS AT HALLOWEEN
Hard Candy
You might think sticky, gooey candies would harm teeth the most, but they do not. Lollipops and hard candies lingering in your child’s mouth subject the teeth to the most dental damage. Unless you choose sugar-free hard candies, you are putting your child’s teeth at risk for prolonged acid attacks, which can lead to tooth decay, according to the American Dental Association.
If gourmet lollipops top the list of favourites at Halloween, try to take sips of water as you suck on the candy. Then follow up 45 minutes later with a thorough tooth and tongue brushing, and rinse with a child-safe mouthwash to whisk away any lingering sugars.
Sticky Treats
From gummy worms to caramels, sticky candies are plentiful during Halloween. These soft candies tend to stick to the teeth and linger long after the treat has been enjoyed. To reduce dental damage, it is a good idea to incorporate these treats into healthier snacks and harder foods, such as carrot sticks or almonds. These can help to dislodge the sticky treats from crevices in the teeth. Peanuts are a seasonal option (where no allergies exist of course!) and they will help to reduce acidity after a sugar blow-out.
Ideally it is best to consume sugars and snacks in a single sitting and not to allow continuous dipping into goodie-bags and grazing over the course of the day! This would be far more damaging to a developing dentition!
Chewing Gum
Surprisingly, one of the safest Halloween treats to enjoy is sugar-free gum. Although it lingers in the mouth, gum stimulates extra saliva production, which naturally rinses the mouth and keeps plaque-causing bacteria at bay.
To keep your little one’s oral health on track, choose sugar-free, all-natural gum sweetened with fruit juices approved by the ADA. Always monitor your children when they chew gum to reduce risk of choking.
Your little ones can still enjoy sweet treats on Halloween, but take note of what these sugary snacks do to their oral health. Try to combine the sweets with food or water, follow up later with a tooth brushing and choose sugar-free varieties as much as possible.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN