Halloween is a great time to improve your children’s knowledge of dental health. Here are Loper Family Dentistry’s best tips for tempering your little ghosts and ghoul’s candy frenzy this Halloween.
Replace Your Child’s Toothbrush
Try marking Halloween with a new toothbrush of your child’s choice each year. Lots of kids are excited about getting and using a new toothbrush. This is a great first reminder of the dental health lessons that can be learned on this very fun day.
All in Moderation
When trick-or-treating is done, go through your child’s candy haul with him. Allow your child to pick a few pieces of candy to enjoy right away, and keep the rest out of sight. Establish set times when your child may have more candy – Loper Family Dentistry recommends that you allow a few pieces after meals, but not in between meals, to reduce the number of times a day your child’s mouth is washed in sugar. However, restricting access to candy too much can make your child fixate on the “forbidden fruit” and cause him or her to eat it in excess. Moderation is best.
Reiterate the Importance of Brushing
Remind your child that all that sugar must be removed from their teeth to avoid cavities. However, you should wait at least an hour after eating before you brush. Sugar temporarily weakens the enamel on your teeth, so wait until your saliva has washed away the sugar and the enamel is strong again before you brush. Until your child is about 8 years old, you should supervise brushing to make sure that she brushes the right way for two full minutes.
Try Disclosing Tablets
Halloween night is also a great time to try disclosing tablets with your child. These are tablets that your child chews after brushing, so he can see how well he brushed, and identify what spots he missed. Chew one yourself to keep your child and yourself accountable, and to make the process a little more fun for your kid. Everyone can use an occasional tune-up of their toothbrushing skills.
Loper Family Dentistry encourages you to have an open dialogue with your children about Halloween candy and dental health. This festive time of candy consumption can also be a good reminder to schedule check-ups for your family. Call Loper Family Dentistry at 614-864-7731 to schedule your family’s check-up appointments today.