How To Have A Spooktacular Halloween Without Sacrificing Oral Health
Halloween is one of the most anticipated holidays of the year, especially for little kids. However, this day can be disastrous for kids’ teeth as they are bombarded with sugary candy and treats. To protect your family’s oral health this Halloween, try limiting their candy consumption, encourage extra brushing and trade in sugar-filled candies for healthier options. By following these and other tips, you can have a spooktacular Halloween without putting your family’s oral health at risk. Find out what else you can do to keep teeth healthy and happy this Halloween with this guide!
The Impact That Sugar Has On Teeth
While our teeth are the strongest substances in our bodies, they can easily deteriorate under the constant attack of plaque. Too much plaque on teeth can cause tooth decay and cavities, which are not only painful to fix but expensive, as well. Kids are most vulnerable to this assault on oral health, especially over Halloween when they’re consuming exorbitant amounts of sugary candies and treats. While the tasty treats that your kids will be getting this Halloween are delicious and fun, they will be full of decay-causing sugar that affects all aspects of their oral health. The bacteria in our mouths feed on the sugar components found in the food we eat, which then produces acids that eat away at our teeth enamel. Once tooth enamel is gone, it’s gone for good, and it can’t be regrown by the body. Kids are especially susceptible to this process as they typically eat more sugary foods than adults do and their vulnerable baby teeth can’t handle all the sugar excess. Even as kids develop their permanent adult teeth, they are still at a higher risk for cavities than adults and therefore should have safeguards put in place to protect their teeth. This Halloween, make it a priority to protect your children’s oral health by implementing the dental tips found in this article.
Healthy Tips For A Happy Halloween
Just because Halloween treats have sugar in them doesn’t mean that your kids can’t eat them. Everything comes down to how you monitor their eating habits. One of the most important rules to implement in your kids’ Halloween schedule this year is controlling the amount and time of candy consumption. Kids can enjoy their trick-or-treating finds this year just as much as last year as they make small adjustments to their consumption. As a parent, educate your children on the effects that sugar has on their teeth and help them understand which candies have more sugar in them than others. Sticky and hard candies like taffy, lollipops and gummy bears stay on the teeth longer than other candies and put your kids at a higher risk for cavities. As you educate your kids on the importance of maintaining their oral health, they will be better prepared to make appropriate choices as they pick out candy on Halloween night. Secondly, kids should be eating their candy after dinner when the saliva production in their mouths is at its highest. Saliva is the mouth’s personal safeguard against plaque and tooth decay, and thus will help wash your children’s mouths of the sticky substances found in their candy to keep their mouths healthy and fresh. Lastly, encourage regular brushing and flossing practices BEFORE Halloween rolls around. Establishing a good oral hygiene beforehand will give your kids the proper practice to keep their teeth clean so that when Halloween comes, their teeth will have the upper hand against sugary foods.
Making Time For Dental Checkups
By following the aforementioned dental tips this Halloween, your kids’ teeth will be better protected against the consequences of tooth decay. However, this isn’t enough. For complete protection, your kids need to be visiting their dentist for regular dental checkups every six months. These visits allow the dentist to review their teeth, gums and mouth for signs of decay and provide a deep cleaning of their teeth. Dental cleanings are essential for good oral health since even the best brushers and flossers out there can’t reach all the parts of the mouth that dentists can. Digital X-rays are often taken during dental checkups to view the teeth roots and bone that can’t be seen from the surface and to monitor how your child’s teeth are developing in their mouth. This may be nerve-racking for some kids, but X-rays are a completely normal and safe part of dentistry. Kids’ mouths are also examined with metal mirrors and tools to look for swelling, redness or infection of the teeth or gums, and an oral cancer screening will be performed to ensure that their entire oral cavity is disease-free. Regular dental checkups are a very important part of a person’s oral hygiene routine, and they are especially important if you want to keep your kids’ teeth decay-free this Halloween.
Have A Spooktacular Halloween With Our Help!
Prepare your kids for Halloween this year by scheduling a dental checkup with Dr. Evanson and her staff at (720) 409-0008! We pride ourselves in having the best technology and tools available to ensure that your children receive the dental care that they deserve. Whether your children need a dental cleaning or have a cavity, we can help! Call today to schedule a dental checkup and guarantee your children a spooktacular Halloween!
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