While your children may be excited about the entire Halloween tradition, from picking out a costume
to organizing parties, many parents forget about the feeding frenzy of sugar overload that follows days after the holiday hoopla.
According to Dr. Jonathan Shenkin, pediatric dentistry spokesman for the American Dental Association, only 44 percent of children brush their teeth twice a day. While Dr. Shenkin considers this a public health failure, trick-or-treating only adds to the increasing rise of children’s tooth decay, which has seen it’s biggest increase within the last decade.
In an attempt to get parents and children more aware of “zombie mouth” this Halloween season, we’re introducing the concept to children and how to prevent it from ruining what should be a fun and healthy activity.
Sugar or candy in moderation is fine, but Halloween can sometimes bring out the glutton in both children and adults. Children can literally bring home pounds and pounds of candy, and it’s up to parents to provide boundaries and limits to its consumption. Some of the things parents can do include:
- If, at all possible, limit or avoid the chewy, sticky candies, that tend to take longer to clear the mouth. The longer candy is exposed to all surfaces of the mouth the more likely cavity-causing damage can occur.
- Limit the overall consumption of Halloween candy. Halloween candy has a tendency to hang around for months after. Parents can do their part by distributing the candy in small quantities and preventing children from snacking on candy in between meals.
- Monitor and manage the amount of sugar your children eat. It’s not the quantity of sugar that children consume that poses the most danger, but the increased frequency of sugar consumption throughout the day that puts children at a higher risk. The more they reach for sweet snacks the more likely sugar will attach to the surface of teeth. It’s important to know if brushing is impossible that children can rinse and swish with water to reduce the effects.
- It’s recommended to give children the sugary “treat” after a regular meal. If parents commit to having their children brush after meals, they can reduce the damage since good dental health begins with brushing after a meal.
- Due to the increased use of sugar in many foods, from breakfast cereal to juice to salad dressings, it’s up to parents as consumers to read labels, and provide balanced and nutritional meals that offset sugar consumption.
Other tips from our dentists include drinking water after consuming surgery treats to balance the PH levels found in the mouth, and chewing sugarless gum which helps with saliva production to wash away accumulated sugars. With a little planning and designated boundaries, you and your children can avoid zombie mouth this Halloween.
If you are looking for a pediatric dentist in the Mint Hill, NC area, don’t hesitate to call or book an appointment with East Charlotte Dental, as we have one of the best pediatric dentist on our team. We have a safe and fun environment for all children.
