It's almost Halloween, the scariest holiday for parents and dentists! Luckily, this holiday season, Metropointe Dental is here to help prevent something spooky from haunting your child's teeth! 

In this blog, we share a few easy tricks to keep your child's teeth healthy and strong this spooky season. 

Eat Candy with a Meal

Saliva naturally protects your teeth during mealtime! When chewing, saliva production increases, thus helping rinse away any food particles and sugars that can lead to tooth decay. Therefore, eating candy during or right after your meal can help lower the chances of sugar clinging to your teeth. 

Pick Your Treats Carefully

Certain candies are more likely to get stuck between your child's teeth, we recommend staying away from these hard toffee-like candy, or candy that is sticky like gummies that take longer to be washed away by saliva. Hard candies like lollipops won’t stick to everything, but they take a long time to dissolve, increasing the time sugars remain exposed to bacteria in kids' mouths. Instead opt for chocolate which is among the least damaging of the halloween candies for teeth. Even better, whenever possible, opt for dark chocolate over milk chocolate as it has less sugar. White chocolate, on the other hand, is the highest sugar containing option and should be avoided. 

Wash It Down with Water

Water is the best drink for your teeth and can help wash away left over sugars and chunks of candy. Water also keeps your mouth hydrated and promotes saliva production to keep cavities at bay. 

Opt for the Smaller Candy Basket 

Continuous consumption of candy over the week can lead to higher risk of cavities forming. Therefore we recommend opting for a smaller candy bag and setting a limit for candy consumption for the week. It's also important to limit sugary snacks while offering candy and providing balance with vegetables and proteins to help digest sugars with meals. 

Maintain Hygiene Practices 

It's important to show kids the proper brushing techniques following small circular motions and playing a 2 minute song to help them time their brushing while making it fun and enjoyable. After brushing, have your child spit out the toothpaste and avoid rinsing their mouth with water or it'll wash away the fluoride and preventative ingredients. The weeks following Halloween are the most crucial for flossing and brushing, which is a great time to book a visit for a general cleaning and checkup for extra care. 

With these simple yet effective hygiene practices, your little ones can enjoy their Halloween treats without compromising their oral health. We wish you and your family a fun, safe, and spooky Halloween!