October is the month of Halloween! We want to keep Halloween fun and skip the cavities! Even dentists like to have candy on Halloween! However, there are very important things to do to keep teeth free of sugar bugs and ghouls.
Treats to Keep:
Chocolate
Apples (without caramel)
Oranges
Ice Cream
Popsicles
Sugar-Free or Xylitol Gum
Treats to Skip:
STICKY candy
Candy Corn
Caramel Popcorn Balls
Suckers
Taffy
Jaw Breakers
Sour Candy (acidic)
Other tips and GOOD tricks to keep teeth healthy:
DO remember to brush and floss extra good on Halloween! Bacteria in your mouth use sugar from food you eat to cause cavities. It’s very easy for candy to get stuck in deep grooves and pits in your teeth, making it extra hard to keep them clean. Be sure to brush for TWO whole minutes and brush all the surfaces of your teeth, your tongue and the roof of your mouth. Flossing is important, too, because it reaches in between your teeth, where the toothbrush can’t fit.
DO use toothpaste with fluoride. Fluoride will help keep teeth as strong as the Hulk! It works by re-mineralizing any weaker spots, where cavities may be starting. Don’t use too much, though! A smear is all you need for children under two years old and you can go up to a pea-size for three years old and up.
DO drink plenty of water. Water and saliva work together to rinse cavity-causing bacteria off your teeth. Skip the sugary drinks and sodas, though, these will increase your risk for cavities significantly.
Do NOT snack on Halloween candy all day. Save those fun treats for a mealtime; maybe one with lunch, one with dinner. The continuous snacking of candy makes it hard for your mouth to neutralize the sugar and acid. Drink water right after eating a piece of candy to help speed up the process of a healthy, not-haunted mouth. Exposure and frequency to sugary snacks is key to keeping those cavity bugs away.
Do NOT keep Halloween candy all month! Enjoy a few treats and then ditch or donate the rest. A great idea is to send unopened candy to Treats for Troops and it will be sent to our military bases! You can send directly to Soliders’ Angels Headquarters in San Antonio, Texas or drop off at any of the pick-up locations near you!
DO get creative for Halloween. Pinterest has a lot of fun Halloween treats that are better options; such as string cheese you can make into ghosts or oranges that look like pumpkins. There are many Halloween games and crafts that can create fun and a diversion to making the holiday all about candy.
DO maintain good oral hygiene practices all year long! This includes brushing and flossing twice per day and seeing the dentist twice per year!
-by Madison Galloway
About the Authors: Dr. Mandy Ashley, Dr. Madison Galloway and Dr. Tyler McCubbins are Board Certified Pediatric Dentists proud to serve the communities of Bowling Green, Hopkinsville and Glasgow! We look forward to sharing our vision of excellent, comprehensive dental care that is fun for children and people with special healthcare needs with your family. SKY Pediatric Dentistry has been providing dental care to children and adults with special needs since 2013. As board-certified specialists in dentistry for children, our team strives to make going to the dentist as fun as possible while maintaining high-quality treatment and preventative measures. We tailor treatment plans to each child and offer a wide range of treatment options, including sedation, in-office general anesthesia and also hospital-based dentistry. With over 25 YEARS of doctor experience, SKY Pediatric Dentistry is a great choice for children’s dental care in Bowling Green, Hopkinsville and Glasgow!
Special thank you to Jennifer St. John for editing!
