The weather is getting colder and Hallowe’en is just around the corner! Soon, the kids will be roaming the streets in search of sweets and treats, dressed up as just about anything – from ghouls and goblins to astronauts and princesses and everything in between.
However, as a dentist, the scariest part of the Hallowe’en season for me is the sheer number of sugary treats that children (and even adults) will no doubt partake in. Though delicious, Hallowe’en candy can have a supremely negative impact on your children’s teeth and overall oral heatlh, leading to cavities and sometimes even permanent damage.
While I would never recommend taking away the fun of Hallowe’en by depriving your kids of their well-earned candy, I believe it is still important that we all take necessary steps to ensure that they can enjoy the holiday without doing any lasting harm.
Here are some quick tips that you can help keep your kid’s smiles healthy and bright (even with bags filled with Hallowe’en candy):
- Limit candy consumption to a specific amount at specific times of day – your kids might want to devour the candy all at once, but it’s important to spread out their candy consumption over time. This will limit the negative impact on their teeth. Strike up a deal that they can only have one piece of candy at school and one after dinner.
- Balance out the sweet stuff with healthier options – if you know that your kids are going to be enjoying more than their fair share of candy throughout October and November, make a point to ensure that all of their meals remain as healthy as possible. It’s hard to prevent our kids from getting a hold of the sweet stuff, so making sure that there are also healthy food options available to them will definitely help!
- Keep up with the daily oral hygiene routine – no matter what the time of year, a proper routine of brushing and flossing twice a day is the first line of defence against gum disease and cavities. Teach your children a proper oral health routine as early as possible and set them up for success against the most sugar-filled holiday of the year!
Above all, make sure that you and your children don’t miss on the very important post-Hallowe’en dental check up! Even though we might take every precaution to keep the threats to our oral health at bay, nothing beats the personal care and attention of a visit to the dentist!
Have questions? Schedule a consultation with me at my Davisville dentist office and learn more about what you can do to protect your child’s oral health. Let’s work together to give them the healthiest, brightest smile possible. Can’t wait to see you!