How to Protect Your Little One’s Teeth This Halloween

Halloween is coming! At this time of year, it’s important to pay extra attention to your little one’s teeth and oral hygiene. Sugary candies can do serious damage to tooth enamel, but you can protect your child’s teeth by adopting these good habits around the Halloween holiday and by taking your child to see the dentist in Brookeland TX. Here’s what you need to know.

Brush Extra

Children need their teeth brushed by their parents until they’re about seven or eight, because they don’t have the manual dexterity to properly clean their teeth on their own. If you still brush your child’s teeth, take the time to brush your child’s teeth extra well on Halloween night.

If your child is brushing their teeth on their own, ask them to brush their teeth for twice as long as usual. If they’re only just learning to brush their own teeth, consider supervising their work on Halloween night.

Switch Out Sticky and Hard Candies

Sticky and hard candies are especially bad for tooth enamel. Candies like caramel, taffy and suckers can easily stick to your child’s teeth, causing a buildup of bacteria that can lead to cavities and other problems.

Encourage your child not to eat these candies – and consider switching out these candies for other sweets like chocolate. Chocolate melts in the mouth and is easily washed away with water.

Drink Lots of Water

It’s important to encourage children to drink plenty of water when they’re eating Halloween candy. Drinking water helps wash away foods and keep the inside of the mouth clean. Drinking water is no substitute for brushing teeth, but it can help keep your child’s teeth cleaner between tooth brushings, so that extra sugar is less of a problem overall.

Manage Candy Consumption

One of the reasons that Halloween candy causes such problems is because children have uncontrolled access to their candy throughout the day and night. Consider keeping your child’s Halloween candy up and out of your child’s reach. Give them a piece of candy or two after meals, when their saliva production is up. Managing candy consumption can prevent the candy from becoming a big problem.

Take care of your child’s teeth this Halloween – make an appointment for a pediatric tooth cleaning in Brookeland TX.