Halloween and Candies: How to Protect Your Child From the Effects of Cavities on Their Teeth

If someone asks your child about their favorite time of the year, most of them will have the same answer - Halloween! Children always love and look forward to Halloween for many apparent reasons - it is the time of the year when they can dress up in a different costume and get lots of candies to eat.

However, the scariest and most worrisome part of Halloween celebrations is the damage candies and chocolates do to your child's teeth! So, ever thought of how to save your child from the harmful effects Halloween candies have on their teeth? 

The pediatric dentists at We C Kids Dental will help you with certain "tricks and tips" that will help you to moderate your child's sugar consumption this Halloween. You just need to make some alterations and compromises, and your child can have a healthy, cavity-free, spectacular Halloween. 

Choose Candies Wisely

As the first step, rank the candies on the basis of their impact on dental health. Candies are never healthy, and some of them are even worse than others. So, have an idea about the impact of different candies on your child's dental health.

• Hard candy: They pose the risk of breaking your kid's teeth if they bite or chew it. Sucking on it is also not safe as this needs your child to hold the sugar source in their mouth for an extended period.
• Sour candies: They are highly sugary and acidic; means they do a double attack against dental health, harming your kid's enamel directly!
• Sticky or gummy candy: These candies can remain stuck on your child's teeth, allowing the harmful bacteria to feed on them for a long time and attack the enamel.
• Dark chocolates: They are the least harmful sugary candy as they don't stick to your child's teeth. Besides, the cocoa present in dark chocolates offers many beneficial properties as well. Moreover, the darker the chocolate, its sugar content will be less. 

Follow Proper Dental Hygiene Habits to Protect Your Child's Teeth 

We recommend keeping your child away from the worst Halloween candies to protect their teeth from dental issues. Besides, here are some dental tips that will help you to protect your child's teeth from the harmful effects of Halloween candy. If your child consumes Halloween candy, be extra vigilant in the post-candy teeth cleaning as well.

• Brush your kid's teeth using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste after every candy consumption for a minimum of two minutes after eating sugary candies. 
• Floss their teeth at least twice to eliminate sugary and sticky food particles from in between their teeth.
• Ask your child to limit their candy consumption to one time per day. This is because consuming candies frequently can affect their teeth enamel worse than having a lot of them together. The best time for your child to eat candies is to have them together with a meal when their mouth produces more saliva.
• After eating candies, ensure that your child rinses their mouth well using water. Brushing and flossing their teeth after having candies can help better.
• Ask your child to drink more fluoridated water to wash away all the sugar that sticks to their teeth's surface. 

Take Your Child to Their Pediatric Dentist at We C Kids Dental if You Suspect a Cavity 

If you detect any signs of a cavity on your child's teeth during or after Halloween, call us and schedule an appointment at the earliest.

Check your child's teeth for the following symptoms of cavities: 

• Toothache 
• Sensitivity to sweets, hot or cold foods
• Tooth stains

If detected at the earliest, we can prevent the advancement of cavities. 

Do you have any more doubts on how to make this Halloween healthy and safe for your kid? Call We C Kids Dental, Kids Dentist at (626) 628-2424 or schedule an appointment online.