Keep spooky smiles away!

Halloween is just around the corner. Help your children maintain good oral health habits on Halloween. It’s hard to avoid the temptation to snack on sugary treats with all the advertisements, the free giveaways everywhere you go, and Halloween candy displays in the grocery stores. The combination of poor oral hygiene and sugar consumption causes tooth decay. Here are some tips to help your child maintain a proper oral care routine, choose the right treats, and stay cavity-free on Halloween!

Every time we eat, bacteria in plaque converts sugar and starches to harmful acids that attack tooth enamel. Continuous snacking on candy feeds the bacteria that produce the acid, which cause the enamel to break down resulting in cavities.

Treats that are sticky, like gummy candy, stick to teeth and provide a breeding ground for bacteria that cause cavities. Also avoid treats that are difficult to chew, such as hard candy, which may damage teeth and could cause your child to break a tooth. Look for sweets that wash away easily, like chocolate, because it will reduce your children’s chances of damaging their smiles.

Scare the living daylights out of bad bacteria by brushing twice a day, for two minutes. Parents need to help younger children and toddlers with their teeth brushing routine to make sure the teeth are brushed properly and well.

Seventy-nine percent of children that responded to a Crest Healthy Smiles 2010 poll
said they like to brush their teeth, so encourage your children to join in the fun! Challenge them to brush every time they eat a piece of candy, particularly at night when it’s important to go to bed with a sugar-free mouth. Make brushing a fun activity by brushing with cool toothbrushes, like Crest Spin Brush Spider-Man 2 or Dora the Explorer.

Floss your way out of haunted territory. Brushing alone cannot remove plaque from under the gum line and between teeth. Also, flossing before brushing loosens plaque and debris, which allows it to be brushed away easily. Use floss twice a day and any terrifying creatures will be scared away!

Dentists advise reducing between-meal snacks and limiting sweet or sticky foods to mealtimes. Also, encourage kids to drink plenty of water throughout the day especially after eating sweets. It will help rinse sugar away from teeth until there is time for proper brushing.

If parents guide children to practice good dental health habits the candy trick-or-treaters collect on Halloween doesn’t have to result in tooth decay and in turn will help prevent spooky smiles.

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Beverly Cabanatan is the newest addition to the SDA dental clinic’s family, she is looking forward to working with the community to improve oral health awareness.