Winning the Cavity Battle This Halloween
So you got your kids’ custom picked out and all plans made to makethis Halloween safe and filled with memories. Here are some oralhealth pointers to help keep those chompers healthy andbeautiful:
-Sugars and bacteria are a bad combination-
We all have bacteria in our mouths. Some have more aggressivestrains than other. Nevertheless, feeding the sugars (could be fromfruits, drinks, candies…etc) forms the basis for tooth decay.
-Not all candy are created equal-
Get rid of the hard candies. They could stick to teeth for longafter little Johnny has had them. They can also break teeth, are achoking hazard, and are difficult to brush off.
-Keep your enemy even closer-
If you constantly nag to your kidsabout eating candy, they may hide their stash of goodies after trickor treating. It would be nice to gently sort through and inspect their candy bag before they’ve finished all the unhealthiest candies.
-Candy after food-
Nibbling is an unhealthy practice, specially if its candythroughout the day. We encourage you to develop a clear understandingwith your kids to have a limited number after their regular mealsonly. Then brushing can minimize number of times their teeth areexposed to sugars.
-No substitute for great daily hygiene at home-
Great oral hygiene is no joke. Brushing 2-3 times per day andflossing routinely are important. The technique for properbrushing/flossing are also important. Its best to brush right aftermeals and the most important brushing session is the one right beforebed time. Routine dental check up are an integral part of preventingtooth decay.
-Sticky candies and foods are not your friends-
Some studies have suggested the sticky stuff like caramel are themost damaging to teeth, but more recent research has found sugars incaramel dissolves off teeth faster than sugar in cookies, potatochips, or dried fruits to name a few. So consider quick brushingafter consuming such foods.
-Tooth-friendly Candies and Foods-
Nuts and cheese are some of the tooth-friendly snacks toconsider. But consider Xylitol candies as an alternative to thatTwizzlers. Xylitol is a sugar that does not cause tooth decay andactually reduces the destructive properties of some oral bacteria.
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