The Best Dental Tips from Halloween
Halloween is here! At Park Boulevard Family Dentistry, we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate Halloween this year. Our favorite part is seeing all the little ones dressed up in Halloween costumes! What’s your favorite part? Dr. Wade loves Halloween candy! Although Halloween candy isn’t the greatest for your teeth, it still can be enjoyed. You just need to know the best dental tips for Halloween. Below, your dentist in Pinellas Park, FL, shares how you can have a healthy smile and eat Halloween candy this holiday!
The Best & Worst Candies for Good Oral Health
One of the best dental tips for Halloween that any dentist would give you is to know which candies can do you harm. Chocolate may be one of the best choices if you’re trying to keep from damaging your teeth. Dark chocolate is a healthier option. Dr. Wade recommends limiting the sticky sweets such as taffy and caramel. This is because it’s very hard to remove, especially inbetween your teeth. Pro Parent Tip: sort through your kids’ candy and get rid of anything that is harmful to their teeth!
Be Strict On When You Eat Halloween Candy
They say moderation is key, but it can be pretty tricky to hold back on Halloween candy. One of our favorite dental tips for Halloween is making sure your child eats a healthy meal before they go out trick-or-treating. Not only will this ensure that your child is consuming nutrients, but it will also make them full enough not to eat the whole bag when they get home. Since Halloween candy can usually stick around for a month, you’ll want to set a rule with your kids. Eating too much candy will result in upset tummies and cavities! Our friend Dr. Hoang, a dentist in Bethlehem, GA, recommends giving your child the choice of choosing one candy per day. You can limit this to be a few times a week or every other week. However, if you do allow your child to eat candy, you should limit the consumption of sugary drinks as well.
Stay Extra Hydrated & Take Care of Yourself
Another one of our go-to dental tips for Halloween is incorporating more water throughout the day. Staying hydrated keeps your teeth and gums healthy. It also helps reduce bacteria and plaque buildup. Dr. Wade recommends drinking anywhere from eight to sixteen glasses of water a day.
Stick to Your Oral Health Routine
Do not allow them to slack off on daily upkeep. Let your children brush and floss their teeth before bedtime, not after. If sugar is left on the teeth for an extended period of time, it has a greater chance of eating through the enamel’s protective layers and causing cavities. To keep their teeth healthy, it’s critical that children see their dentist on a regular basis. They will remain healthy as adults if they make it a habit to brush and floss their teeth regularly as children.
Contact Park Boulevard Family Dentistry
Our last tip is to make sure that everyone in your family is on track to two dental cleanings a year. If not, schedule your next visit today! Tooth decay, gum disease, and other dental problems can be avoided with preventative dentistry. We all know Halloween is an amazing Holiday. We hope that you and your family get to enjoy Halloween together. Don’t forget to use our Dental Tips for Halloween! Make an appointment for your family’s dental cleanings and exams by calling our offices today.