Halloween is a time for dressing up, enjoying yourself, and yes, candy eating. You and your kids are free to consume some as long as you don’t overindulge and take good care of your teeth afterwards. Or teeth, trick or? If you’re not cautious, Halloween may play some nasty tricks on your child’s teeth. While we don’t stop anybody from indulging their sweet craving at this time of year, we do want to make Halloween less frightful for parents who are concerned about the dental health of their children. Here are some tips we have stashed away for parents who want to keep their kids’ teeth happy and healthy without ruining Halloween.
We’re here to assist keep the smiles on your family members healthy and happy. Here are some ideas to help this Halloween be a little bit more kind on your teeth.
Which candy is worst for my child’s teeth?
While it is well acknowledged that candy is bad for teeth, certain sweets are worse than others, particularly if your kid has braces. The following items are on our list of the “scariest” candies that will probably give Children Dental Center Indianapolis IN nightmares:
- Sticky, chewy, or gummy candy should be avoided! Food that is more sticky will stay on your child’s teeth longer and is more likely to be left behind even after cleaning. The longer candy remains between your child’s teeth, the more time bacteria have to do their nefarious job, increasing the likelihood that your child’s teeth may develop cavities. Chewing on sticky candies might result in damaged brackets and additional visits to the orthodontist if your kid wears braces. Sticky candy like taffy, caramels, Tootsie Rolls, gummy bears, Starbursts, and butterscotch, to mention a few, should be avoided if your kid has braces.
- Sour or Acidic Candy: This kind of candy is acidic and tart, and it first sounds like fun, but it may harm your teeth over time by eroding the enamel. Due to the acids in sour candies eroding your child’s tooth enamel, Sour Patch Kids, War Heads, Air Heads, Sour Punch Straws, and other sour sweets might increase your child’s risk of dental decay. The likelihood of this injury increasing with the frequency with which children consume these snacks.
- Hard Candy: Due to the length of time it takes to consume hard sweets like Tootsie Roll Pops and Jolly Ranchers, they are hazardous for your teeth. The teeth of your kid are effectively submerged in sugar for a long time, which increases the risk of tooth decay. Fast-consuming candies are healthier for your child’s teeth since the sugar doesn’t have as much time to sit on the teeth. Not to mention that munching on hard candy might harm your child’s teeth and orthodontic devices.
What candy would be best for my child to eat?
What candy may my kids consume, you may be thinking. Candy doesn’t do your child’s smile any favours, but if they consume more of these less harmful sweets, they’ll have a less traumatic Childrens Dentist Indianapolis IN visit:
- Candy bars and chocolate: Since chocolate often contains less sugar than sticky and acidic candy and is less likely to be left behind after brushing, it is a preferable choice to indulge in. Numerous types of chocolate bars are available in a variety of sizes and forms, including white, dark, and nutty varieties. Even a little daily serving of dark chocolate has certain health advantages! Studies have shown that dark chocolate may lower the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, according to Medical News Today. If you want to indulge, dark chocolate may provide you with a number of health advantages thanks to its antioxidants and minerals.
- Sugarless gum and candies: These gums and other sweets tend to be less sticky, harder, and less acidic than other candies you’ll find in the candy aisle, however you should be careful of artificial flavours. They also obviously contain less sugar, which may save you the anxiety of the late-night sugar high that many trick-or-treaters experience. Children with diabetes have a terrific option in sugar-free sweets since they are lower in calories, fat, and carbohydrates than regular candies.
Floss and brush your fangs
Everyone is aware of the need of cleaning their teeth twice daily for two minutes each time and flossing every night, but this time of year, your child’s smile will require a little additional attention. Giving your child a brand-new toothbrush in their preferred colour after trick-or-treating is over is one way to make brushing entertaining for your kids this Halloween. Give your youngster their new toothbrush and a gentle reminder to brush their teeth once they’ve finished the night’s worth of sweets. For youngsters, it might be a bit challenging to brush each tooth in little circles on the front, rear, and top. Brushing your teeth with your kid under supervision may make it enjoyable and thorough.
Plan your Halloween candy intake
Pediatric Dentistry Indianapolis IN suggest that prepare a strategy for how you will handle sweets and candy before Halloween by sitting together with your children. Choose when, how much, and what to do with the extra candy they are allowed to consume. This is a great opportunity to emphasise the need of practising excellent oral hygiene.
Permit children to consume treats in moderation
Decide on a definite “Halloween Treat” time, such as after dinner or after they are through with an activity, and only permit a small amount of candy during that period. Kids are less likely to think about candy at other times of the day when they are aware that they have a set period during which to consume their treats. It’s also healthier for their oral health overall if you restrict the times kids may consume candy. Throughout the day, munching on candy and other sweets lengthens the time that teeth are exposed to the acid in sugars, which raises the risk of cavities.
After eating treats, immediately brush and floss
After eating candy, make sure everyone brushes and flosses their teeth thoroughly. If you are unable to brush, swirl about in some water, rinse, and then immediately brush and floss.
Are you prepared to promote your child’s smile?
To ensure that your child’s smile is on track for a lifetime of oral health, schedule their dental examination at Kids Dentist Indianapolis IN or Pediatric Dentist Indianapolis IN.
