BOO! Have a Healthy Halloween!
Halloween is just around the corner, and besides the hayrides and haunted houses, most kids are thinking about……candy.
At Anderson Strickland Dental we’re not going to be spoil-sports and say kids should avoid trick-or-treating completely. But here are some tips for when they come back home with a sack full of sweets.
- Don’t save the candy for the end of the day. Eat it with or right after meals when salivation more naturally occurs. This will help to flush the sugar off of tooth surfaces instead of giving it an overnight home.
- Avoid hard candies or “suckers.” These stay in the mouth a long time and increase exposure to cavity-causing materials.
- Don’t stick with the stickiest. Taffies and gummy bears get stuck to tooth surfaces and keep working their stuff for prolonged periods of time.
- Be generous. Have your kids make a plan – keep a few favorite candies and donate the rest to kids who may not have any.
- Don’t drink and drive, but definitely drink! Fluoridated water – and lots of it – can prevent tooth decay and flush away debris. Avoid sodas, sports drinks and flavored waters.
- Brush and floss carefully – especially before bedtime.
So while Halloween can wreak havoc on both young and old, a little prevention can go a long way to preventing tooth decay.
Have any questions? Due for an appointment? At Anderson Strickland Dental we are here for you! Please give us a call at 225-665-1212. BOO!
