Halloween is around the corner, which
for most children means bags of free candy and a chance to build up the
stockpile of sweets for the winter. Being one of the most fun times of the year
for families, Halloween can also present parents with a variety of health and
safety challenges.The American Dental Association, America's premier source of oral health information, has prepared a list of 10 suggestions to help parents maintain good oral health for their children around the Halloween holiday and throughout the year.
1. Consume
Halloween candy and other sugary foods with meals.
Saliva production increases during meals and helps neutralize acids produced by bacteria in your mouth and helps rinse away food particles.
Saliva production increases during meals and helps neutralize acids produced by bacteria in your mouth and helps rinse away food particles.
2. Avoid
hard candy and other sweets that stay in your mouth for a long time.
Besides how often you snack, the length of time food is in your mouth plays a role in tooth decay. Unless it is a sugar-free product, candies that stay in the mouth for a long period of time subject teeth to prolonged acid attack, increasing the risk for tooth decay.
Besides how often you snack, the length of time food is in your mouth plays a role in tooth decay. Unless it is a sugar-free product, candies that stay in the mouth for a long period of time subject teeth to prolonged acid attack, increasing the risk for tooth decay.
3. Avoid
sticky candies that cling to your teeth.
The stickier candies, like taffy and gummy bears, take longer to get washed away by saliva, increasing the risk for tooth decay.
The stickier candies, like taffy and gummy bears, take longer to get washed away by saliva, increasing the risk for tooth decay.
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