Share:

Halloween is a much-anticipated event for children to wear fun costumes and trick-or-treat for candy. As a parent, Halloween means having fun with your child and taking cute photos, but that good time can quickly turn sour if your little one gets cavities from eating excess sugar. To avoid costly visits to the dentist, here are a few recommendations to help prevent tooth decay for and after Halloween.

Top 3 Ways to Prevent Cavities After Halloween

1. Limit Trick-or-Treating

When it comes to trick-or-treating, remind your little ones that it’s about quality, not quantity. Limit the amount of time they can spend roaming the neighborhood for candy. Once they’ve acquired a healthy stash, sort through the goods as a family and encourage them to pick their favorites out of the bunch. Try to steer clear of hard, sticky candy that lingers on teeth and leads to decay. Once they’ve made their selections, donate or toss any unopened items, so there’s a finite amount of Halloween treats in the house. 

2. Time Candy Intake

dentistYour family dentist knows you can’t stop a child from consuming Halloween candy altogether. Instead, to avoid cavities, manage when and how much they consume these sugary sweets. The best time to eat candy is immediately following dinner.  Saliva production increases during a meal and washes away sugars and acids from food in our mouths. Plus, you know they will be brushing before bed! 

3. Brush & Floss Daily

While your dentist encourages children and adults to brush and floss every morning and every evening before bed, this habit is particularly important after Halloween when sugar intake tends to spike. As part of the treat consumption deal, remind your children they’ll need to brush and floss to eat their candy. Make this a family routine so you can double check they aren’t skipping steps. 

 

Susan Kleier, DMD is a family dentist based in the heart of Lexington, KY. For the last 25 years, Dr. Kleier’s practice has been dedicated to providing residents throughout Lexington-Fayette County with quality, affordable dental care in a friendly, inviting environment. If your child needs teeth cleaning after indulging in Halloween treats, call this experienced dentist’s office today at (859) 225-1188 to schedule an appointment. For more information on the comprehensive services this practice specializes in, from pediatric dentistry to helping adults maintain beautiful smiles with teeth whitening, veneers, and dental implants, visit their website

tracking