Halloween is the only time of year when kids can run around you with wings and masks and you need not bat an eye. It’s also the only time you hope your children ask for a literal handout. The biggest concern isn’t the “strangers” that they’ll be meeting in your neighborhood, but rather all the candy they’ll inevitably get. They are a little too young to think about their teeth, so as a parent you must. You don’t want to ruin the holiday and take the candy away, so what can you do? Your children’s dentist in Waco, TX from Premier Family Dental has a few tips for you this Halloween.
The Best Way to Stay Healthy During Halloween
You’ve probably known since an early age that too much sugar can give you a cavity. It’s a big reason why you’ve tried to teach it to your kids. Of course, this kind of flies in the face of a holiday where they will try to get (and eat) as much candy as they can. It’s possible to have the best of both worlds, however, so you can celebrate the holiday and also keep their teeth healthy. The number one thing they can do is brush and floss consistently. No matter what day of the year it is, routine home oral care is the best way to prevent most dental issues from ever developing. Brushing and flossing breaks up and cleans off the plaque that is left on their teeth from the food they eat, more specifically the sugar. In a time where your kids will be exposed to a lot of candy, these dental habits become especially important.
Additional Tips
Another way to help keep their teeth healthy is to give them smaller containers to trick-or-treat in. Rather than a large bucket, give them 2 or 3 small bags to fill up over the course of the night. That way when they eat the candy they won’t try to go through it in one sitting. The bags make it easier to space the candy out and prevent them from really assaulting their teeth with sugar. The last simple tip is one many people miss: make sure your child can see clearly with their costume on. Many times kids will try on a costume and a mask in a well-lit store, and then find out they can’t really see during the night. Be sure to have your child wear their entire costume in a darkened room and see if they can get around safely. The last thing anyone wants to deal with on Halloween is a little vampire with a broken or knocked out “fang.”
Don’t Forget Us!
Want to know what else you can do during Halloween to keep your child’s teeth healthy? Simply call your family dentist in Waco, TX, Dr. Rick Cofer. Sometimes speaking directly to a dentist helps a child listen to what they need to do to take care of their teeth. Be sure to have fun this Halloween, and remember to brush and floss your teeth!