If we can get past the sheer horror of our new Level 5 lockdown tomorrow, we can start looking forward to Halloween ! Halloween brings with it so much joy, and fun and while this is a thrilling time for kids, it can be scary what sugar does to their little fangs.
This year, many children will be doing trick or treat treasure hunts instead of the traditional door-to-door trick or treating!
At Northumberland Dental Care, we care about the health of your child’s teeth and
although there will be no trick or treating this year, there is plenty of opportunities for our children to eat sweet treats!
As dentists, we encourage parents to pay close attention to all the different types of sweets, chocolate and drinks their children consume and to protect the health of their tooth enamel. Sugar in sweets and fizzy drinks allows for the bacteria in dental plaque to produce acids. This acid can lead to loss of tooth mineral, which eventually leads to cavities and tooth decay. Despite all this, there are lots of tricks that you can use to not spoil all their fun this Halloween.
Filter the Fun! Beware of sticky hard sweets that can chip or crack teeth! Stick to treats that won’t be as harmful to teeth as others. Snacks such as plain chocolate bars, melt quickly and are softer and the least harmful to teeth. Bags of popcorn are a healthy option for a trick or treater’s snack!
Fill them up before their Halloween Treasure Hunts: Not only does eating a good hearty meal before a halloween treasure hunt or games help with the production of saliva; it also lessens your child’s temptation to fill up on sweets. Taking healthy snacks during your alternative halloween activities can also reduce the amount of candy your child eats that night.
Don’t drag out their Halloween treats for too long: Let your kids gorge on their ghoulish treats they collect on Halloween night and discreetly dispose of the rest. Continually eating sugary treats over days and weeks can do major damage to their fangs.
Time the Eating: Believe it or not, eating sugary treats right after a meal can help minimize the negative impact. Saliva production ramps up during and after a meal, and this extra saliva can help wash away sugars and clean teeth.
If you have any questions, please contact our scaringly helpful, ghoulishly delightful Dr Jennifer Collins and her team at Northumberland Dental Care for more useful information!
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