After stocking up on Halloween treats, kids have one thing on their mind: candy, candy, and more candy! Children should experience a fun night of trick-or-treating and, of course, enjoy their hard-earned candy after the fact. However, it’s important to consider dental health before diving headfirst into their bag of sweets. Furthermore, candy is not the only treat that can impact the dental health of children! There are many beverages and foods that parents should understand are harmful to their children’s dental health. Here are some sugary drinks and candy to avoid, as well as some general tips from our team here at Cedarwood Dentistry.
Cut Back on Candy
Candy is delicious, and there’s no better time to enjoy it than after trick-or-treating. However, like most things, it should be enjoyed in moderation. It’s important to be conscious of your child’s candy intake because sugar can cause cavities and be harmful to their dental health. With that being said, there are some ways that parents can take control before it’s too late! For instance, if you have a young child who’s going trick-or-treating, perhaps you can limit the number of homes you stop by for candy. Additionally, you could limit their candy intake to one or two pieces after dinner each night instead of allowing free access to sweets throughout the day.
Skip the Sugary Drinks
When we think about something that’s “sugary,” we usually think of candy. However, drinks like juice are loaded with sugar and are incredibly harmful to children’s teeth! In fact, drinking sugary substances—especially before bedtime—is one of the most common causes of cavities that we see. When children drink sugary drinks, it’s literally coating their teeth in sugar, oftentimes over a prolonged period of time! For this reason, drinking juice may actually be worse for your child’s teeth than eating candy. If your child currently drinks juice and giving it up is not an option, we recommend cutting back on their intake. One way to begin is by diluting their juice and giving them half juice, half water. Or, you could try an alternative like Mio, which is a sugar-free flavoring for water. Overall, it’s important to note that beverages like juice and soda are detrimental to dental health and should be moderated.
Tip: If children do drink juice or consume candy, be sure to wait 20 minutes before brushing their teeth. After you eat or drink, your body will start to break down the content, producing acid. As a result, the toothbrush can cause more abrasion to the tooth if you are to brush immediately after eating or drinking a sugary substance.
Why Should Parents Be Concerned?
A common question parents have is why they should be concerned about their child’s baby teeth if they are just going to fall out? If a child gets a cavity on a baby tooth, this allows cavity-causing bacteria to live there. As a result, this bacteria can cause problems in other teeth as well—even their adult teeth as they grow in! One of the biggest problems we see is when children get their first molars. Getting a cavity in these teeth causes major problems down the line. With that being said, it’s essential to form good habits now to prevent trouble later on. One of the easiest ways to do so? By limiting their intake of sugary drinks and candy!
As a parent, you have the ultimate say when it comes to your child’s dental hygiene. Start forming positive habits now to set them up for success in the future! You can begin by focusing on what sugary drinks and candy to avoid.
At Cedarwood Dentistry, we cultivate dental health through personalized care. We offer a variety of dental services, including family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and emergency care in Midlothian, Virginia. Whether you last visited the dentist six months or six years ago, we can help bring your smile to life. Schedule your dentist appointment today by calling 804-379-9375.