How to avoid cavities and enjoy Halloween Candy?

Halloween is almost here. We all know what that means — candy, candy, and more candy!
Don’t deny your children the Halloween experience. That can send the entirely wrong message — deprivation — and make candy seem even more irresistible, leading to other problems. They may end up sneaking sweets or eating too much candy once they’re out on their own. Instead, let them have the joy of Halloween in all its sticky goodness and the experience of going to a party or trick-or-treating.
Did you know that there are certain types of sweets that are less harmful to your teeth than others? Although there is no such thing as a healthy candy, sugar-free or powdery candy is the best bet for your dental health. This includes chocolate bars that dissolve quickly and don’t stick to teeth.
The problem with candy is when sugar remains on teeth for extended periods. This can also be a good time to teach (or remind) children that it isn’t just excess sugar that can lead to cavities. Snacks such as pretzels, with starches that stay in the mouth longer, can also lead to cavities, as can fruit juices. Bacteria feed on the sugar and produces cavity-causing acid. Hard and chewy candy generally cause more pronounced damage to teeth than others and should be avoided (or limited). Here are a few more tips to help protect your teeth from the Halloween candy cavity attack.
1)     Have a Good Dinner before trick or treating so you and your children start the night off full with nutritious food.
2)     Drink lots of water. If possible encourage kids to rinse out intermittently with water to “wash away the sugar bugs.” This helps keep the sugar from resting in the grooves of your teeth.
3)     After your children get back from trick-or-treating or a party, go through their bags of Halloween candy together. Tell them to each pick the 10 or so (whatever number you decide, based on factors such as age) treats they want the most. Then make the other candies disappear.
4)     Set a treat time for when Halloween candy is allowed to be eaten. This ritual “treat time” may last long after Halloween and help promote healthy thinking about treats. For many children knowing there is a specific treat time can help them think and ask about eating sweets at other times of the day.
5)     Always brush you and your child’s teeth after “treat time” and of course brush your children’s teeth thoroughly before going to bed. Until a child is 7 or 8 years old, a parent should help with teeth brushing, not simply supervise. Even after age 8, parents should supervise brushing. That includes friendly reminders to older children to brush and floss until they get to high school, when it should be a habit.
6)     A new toothbrush – You should replace toothbrushes every three or four months anyway so make Halloween an occasion for giving your child a new toothbrush. When children like their toothbrushes, they enjoy brushing. Young children typically can’t wait to use a new toothbrush. If it doesn’t look worn after weeks of use, he may not be brushing well.
Dr. Mike Hamid Mirsepasi and Dr. Mirsepasi Dentistry wish you a wonderful Halloween with your family!