Oral Health Tip: Don’t Be Tricked By Halloween Treats! [BLOG]

Most kids would agree that one of the best parts about Halloween is the candy Sure, the costumes, props, and parties are all fun. But nothing gets them excited quite like trick-or-treating for that gooey stash of goodness!
Of course, parents and dentists can all agree that it does complicate our efforts in keeping kids’ teeth free of cavities!

No worries! Shook Dental Care is here to help you keep all the smiles in your family clean and healthy during this festive, sugary holiday. With a visit to our San Pedro dental office for a cleaning and exam, Dr. Shook can make sure all teeth and gums in your household are protected against dental problems from the excess sugar of the season.

Today, we’re talking about how you can avoid being tricked by Halloween treats!

Candy: A Trick In A Treat’s Clothing

Sugar is bad for teeth. That truth applies to people of all ages. We heard it from our parents when we were kids, and now we impart that warning onto our own kids.

But the reason sugar is bad for your teeth isn’t something as widely known. The fact is, sugar is food for bacteria. That’s right. All the sugar left behind after a meal is nothing but fuel for bad bacteria that live in your mouth waiting for their next feast.

When it feeds off the sugar, it creates harmful acids. Those acids eat away at your tooth enamel and make it defenseless against things like tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease. It makes sense, then, why Halloween poses quite a challenge toward the goal of great oral health.

Our team at Shook Dental Care say, “Challenge accepted!” Here are five helpful tips to avoid the tricks sugar can play on your family’s smiles.

Tip #1 – Fill Your Plate Before You Reach For The Bowl
Before heading outside for trick-or-treating, make sure your family eats a balanced meal. This will help lower the urge to continuously snack on candy as the kids go door to door. Let’s be honest, parents… it happens! It also helps kids resist overeating because they’ve satisfied their hunger with a healthy dinner first.

Tip #2 – Avoid Temptation By Hiding The Candy
Rather than let the bowl of Halloween candy sit on the kitchen counter all day long, hide it in a place where you and the kids won’t be tempted use it as an unhealthy substitute for a snack. It will also make it less tempting to graze on candy all throughout the day. This way, you’re more likely to only give out a few pieces after meal time.

Tip #3 – Avoid Sticky Sweets & Hard Treats
Candy that’s gooey and sticky will inevitably stay on your teeth long after you’ve eaten it. This is a dental disaster waiting to happen. The same goes for hard candy that takes a long time to dissolve. Along with that, you or your child could find yourselves in a dental emergency if you bite down on a piece of hard candy and injure a tooth.

Tip #4 – Rinse Your Mouth With Water
Water is so important to your health, so no matter what season it is, you and your family should be drinking plenty of it! But it’s also a good idea to rinse your mouth with water after you’ve eaten candy in between brushing each day. It helps keep the saliva flowing, which keeps your tooth enamel coated and protected.

Tip #5 – Keep Brushing And Flossing!
Always keep up those good dental habits at home. Make sure you and the kids don’t skip out on brushing twice a day and flossing once a day. It’s never more important to stay vigilant than when you’re eating more sugar than you normally would. A good oral hygiene routine is also an important factor in keeping your teeth and gums healthy.

Don’t Be Tricked By Sugar This Season!

What’s the other part of the oral health equation? Visiting Shook Dental Care twice a year for your family’s dental checkups, of course! We look forward to hearing about your spooky Halloween adventures at your next appointment!
Call our San Pedro dental office today at https://shookdentalcare.com or fill out our online form to schedule your family’s dental cleanings and exams.