Sugar Land Pediatric Dentists & the Great Candy Conundrum

While your little goblins and ghouls may be gearing up for the big day of trick-or-treating, Sugar Land pediatric dentists are busy telling parents that Halloween treats don’t have to take a toll on their children’s teeth. By following a few simple tips, childrens’ smiles can shine long after the vampire teeth and monster makeup come off.

The Breakdown

Monstrous amounts of candy are consumed nationwide each year from October 1 to January 1. While some may refer to this period as ‘eating season,’ or the ‘Holiday graze,’ here is the truth about the sweets most preferred by trick or treaters:

• Chocolate- 86%
• Chewy Candy- 57%
• Hard Candy- 50%
• Gum- 49%
• Caramel- 46%
• Sugar Free Candy-44%

Parental ‘Tricks’ for Halloween Treats

With all the candy and goodies floating around this season, your Sugar Land dental practice for children has a few tricks for parents to follow when it comes to Halloween treats.

1. Avoid Sticky Situations: While over half of trick-or-treaters prefer sticky treats (think taffy), these candies stick to the teeth longer and invite cavity causing bacteria. After your child eats one of these candies, make sure to follow it with a glass of water to rinse off some of the remnants of the candy from the teeth.
2. Eat Candy with a Meal-Not AS the Meal: While this may seem like common sense, it is important. When you eat a meal your saliva production increases, which makes it easier to reduce acids in the mouth and wash food particles away.
3. Fight Cavities with Fluoride: Drinking water with fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by delivering vitamins & minerals to the tooth enamel. This is especially important around the holidays when sugar intake is higher than normal.
4. Floss those Fangs: If your child is one of the many people who loves sticky candy, flossing becomes even more important. Flossing between the teeth will remove any remaining sticky treats to reduce the chances of cavities.
5. Take Candy to the Bank. Whether you choose to donate your candy stash through a dentist buy-back program or set up your own candy bank and monitor the withdrawals, both are good ways to monitor your child’s candy consumption.

Sugar Land pediatric dentists say Halloween doesn’t have to be scary for your teeth. Follow these tricks and keep your kids smile going strong long after a night of trick-or-treating.Posted on behalf of Sweetpea SmilesFollow us Google+Find Us on FacebookFollow Us on Twitter