Halloween is a beautiful experience for children. Collecting candies while trick-or-treating creates memories that last a lifetime. Children bring home bags full of candies and other sweets after a night of trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. When they get home, children feast on all the candies they have collected. And parents cringe at the thought of sugar-overload.
While it’s understandable why children love candy, it is common knowledge that excess sugar allows for bacterial growth in the mouth and that can cause cavities. Cavities are formed when the acid produced by the bacteria gradually erodes the tooth enamel.
Halloween and eating candies are inseparable. Children shouldn’t be deprived of Halloween fun by preventing them from eating candies. As humans, we always want what we can’t have, so asking children not to eat their candy will only make them want more, sneak sweets and eat too much candy when the parents are not around. Let children be children. Let them enjoy all the sticky fun that candies bring during Halloween but make sure that they do not over eat and to clean their teeth properly after eating. Educate children on the bad effects to their teeth from excessive sugar.
Educating Children
Halloween can also be the best time to educate or remind children that sugar is not the only cause of cavities. Other snacks that contain starches such as cookies and pretzels as well as sugary fruit juices can also lead to cavities. Educating children early on about the benefits of brushing teeth after meals or after snacking on candies and other sweets can help prevent cavities and other dental problems.
Good Prevention
Good dental education is the best solution to establishing efficient hygiene habits. Making children learn and internalize the importance of good oral hygiene will ensure a healthy life later. Regular checkups of children by their dentist, and brushing and flossing after each meal and snack are keys to their long-term dental health. Toothaches and dental procedures can be avoided if children are taught and maintain proper oral hygiene.