Beside Christmas, Halloween is my children’s favorite holiday. They love Halloween books, and we read them all year round. They adore playing dress up which we also do all year round. And they, like most children, enjoy candy which we do our best not to eat all year round.
I have a problem. Dentists have always been painted out to be anti-candy, anti-sugar, and anti-fun. I happen to love candy, sugar, and fun, so what is a poor dentist to do? I will never be the dentist who hands out toothbrushes instead of candy for Halloween. I do, however, know some facts about candy and can help your child (or you) enjoy their haul without putting their teeth at risk.
Caution! I am about to get “science-y.” Anytime we eat or drink anything other than water, our mouth becomes acidic. Our saliva attempts to bring our mouth back to a neutral pH, but if beverages or snacking are frequent, the mouth will stay at an acidic pH for an extended period. An acidic environment allows the bacteria that create cavities to thrive and thereby allows cavities to form. The bacteria that encourage cavity formation love to eat sugar. It is what they digest the best and the by-product is even more acid. Can you see the slippery slope?
Not all candies are created equal. Chocolate candy, although sugary, is easier for the saliva to rinse away than sticky candies like skittles, sour patch kids, taffy, etc. Suckers and hard candies do not tend to stick to teeth as long as sticky candies, though they do stay in the mouth for an extended period of time. Basically, the chocolate candies tend to not cause as many problems. (And they happen to be my favorite too!)
Here are a few strategies you can try:
- Have your child pour out all of their candy on Halloween night and tell him or her he or she can eat as much as he or she wants, but whatever is leftover is getting thrown away or, even better, donated to a candy give-back program for the troops.
- Let your child eat the candy he or she wants on Halloween night, take up the rest, and put it away for after dinner snacks. Brush and floss teeth before bed.
- Keep the candy stash and give as treats every now and then but do it at times when the candy will not sit on the teeth for an extended period. Follow the candy with a cup of water to help neutralize the mouth.
Do not give candy as incentives throughout the day.
Do not put the candy in a place that is easily accessible to your child.
Do not give candy before bed without brushing afterward.
If you follow these recommendations, your child should have no problem with his or her teeth. I hope you find this helpful and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!