Ways to Keep Your Child from Getting Cavities This Halloween

It’s October now, and you know what that means — it’s the month of Halloween! Plenty of kids will be picking their costumes and prepping their treat bags for the night of the 31^st. As a parent, though, you might be concerned about your child having all that Halloween candy. After all, sugary sweets are known to cause tooth decay and cavities! That said, your Edison dentist has you covered. Here are some tips you and your kids should follow for cavity prevention during Halloween.

Remember Oral Hygiene Habits

More than anything else, make sure your child brushes and flosses after indulging in Halloween treats. Besides being high in sugar, this candy can also get stuck between teeth, so this rule is significant.

Given the upcoming holiday, you might even want to help your child “brush up” on proper brushing techniques. That way, they’ll know to move the brush back and forth against their teeth and gums with short, gentle strokes.

Plan Things Out with Your Child

Before they actually go out trick-or-treating, make a candy plan with your kid. Doing so will give them options and let them choose their preferred approach to Halloween sweets.

This plan could include several things. For instance, you might ask your child whether they’d like to keep the candy to eat over time or trade it for a sugar-free reward. You could also give them a small trick-or-treat bag and limit the houses they visit. If they don’t get much candy to begin with, they can enjoy the treats reasonably without feeling deprived.

Timing Matters

If your child does choose to keep the candy, make sure they don’t graze on it all day. Instead, only let them have a few pieces after a meal.

You see, cavity prevention isn’t just about sugar’s quantity; it’s also about how frequently teeth are exposed to it. For example, eating six pieces of candy in 20 minutes is far less harmful than eating three pieces over several hours. To help you remember this, keep the following saying in mind: “Sip all day, get decay.”

Keep Certain Candies to a Minimum

As referenced before, candy is more harmful to teeth the longer it stays in your mouth. As such, try to limit your child from these candies as much as possible:

• Sugary gum
• Anything sticky like caramels, gummies, or taffy
• Hard candy that takes time to dissolve such as lollipops

Ultimately, this should be a time of excitement for kids — it shouldn’t include painful cavities! That said, ensure your little ones follow these cavity prevention tips during Halloween, so their smiles stay healthy.

About the Practice

Signature Smiles is based in Edison, NJ. As led by Dr. Hiren H. Shah, our practice combines a wide variety of dental services with the latest modern technology! That said, we offer high-quality preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, not to mention emergency tooth care. Whether you need a checkup, cavity treatment, a whitened smile, or tooth replacement, you can count on Signature Smiles. For more information or to book an appointment, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (908)-834-8448.