Halloween is just around the corner. That means it’s time to start thinking about how to keep kids’ teeth protected before sugary treats wreak havoc on their enamel.
Americans consume more candy than ever during the Halloween season, and this includes both children and adults. Let Lovett Dental Jersey Village treat you to some tips for protecting your kids’ teeth this Halloween.
Maybe you don’t think a little extra sugar around the Halloween holiday matters. Sugar, though, is what fuels bacteria. The bad bacteria produce acid as they digest the sugar and that acid eats away at tooth enamel. That’s how cavities form.
It just takes one small hole for those same bacteria to work their way inside the tooth. The acid moves into the deeper layers of the tooth, eventually causing pain. Ideally, as a parent, you would limit the amount of sugar your child consumes but around Halloween, that can be difficult.
3 Ways to Care for Your Teeth During Halloween
Consider three steps you can take to protect teeth from the onslaught of sugar.
1. Make Sure They Brush
Parents need to take control of the candy once you return from trick or treating or from a Halloween party. Let your child have one or two pieces as a snack and put the rest away to hand out over the next few days.
Once they are done with their snack, have your child brush right away. Brushing is the best way to prevent the formation of plaque, which is a sticky substance made up of bacteria. The plaque sticks to the surface of teeth and gums, allowing the bacteria to feast on all that Halloween sugar. As they mobilize the sugar, they release acid that breaks down tooth enamel.
Brushing removes the plaque and any sugar in the mouth before it has a chance to do any damage.
2. Swap Out Sugary Drinks for Water
Put the soda and juice away and replace them with plenty of water. Drinking water helps to wash away the acid that builds up on teeth and gums to prevent decay. Many cities add fluoride to the water as well. It will help to strengthen the enamel on teeth as well, making them more resilient.
3. Make Halloween Candy Dessert
Instead of giving your kids their Halloween candy as a snack for the next week or two, make it dessert after a meal. Eating revs up saliva production, so if they eat candy after having a meal, that extra saliva can help neutralize the acid from the sugar.
Along with taking some common-sense precautions to reduce the impact of all that extra sugar, parents can use this time to talk about the importance of good oral hygiene and maintaining a healthy diet that is low in sugar.
Good oral care habits include:
- Brushing after meals, or at least twice a day
- Flossing daily
- Using products that are ADA approved
- Seeing a Lovett Dental Jersey Village dentist every six months for a teeth cleaning and a check-up
The more you talk about things like going to the dentist, the less scary it will be for kids. Finding the right dentist is important, too. Lovett Dental Jersey Village’s office is conveniently located for all dental needs.
Care for Your Teeth with an Appointment at Lovett Dental Jersey Village
As part of the Lovett Dental family, they provide a multidisciplinary approach to family dental care. At Lovett Dental Jersey Village, you have access to just about every kind of dental care professional you and your kids need, including:
- A pediatric dentist
- An orthodontist
- A periodontist
- A maxillofacial surgeon
- An endodontist
If you need to make an appointment for dental care, give us a call at 281-890-5002. Our Lovett Dental Jersey Village dental experts are waiting to hear from you.
