The shops have started stocking their shelves with all things ghoulish, and discussions of what your children will be dressing as this Halloween means only one thing – the spooky season is upon us!
To help protect your family’s teeth throughout the approaching sweet-fuelled festivities, keep reading to discover Lister House Dental Centre’s top tips and tricks.
Time their sweet treats right
Sweets and chocolate are fine in moderation, but it also helps to limit your child’s intake to shortly after mealtimes. Snacking on sweets throughout the day encourages cavities; however, saliva production during meals is at an all-time high, thus helping to reduce the damaging acidic effect on your child’s teeth.
Stay away from fizzy and sugary drinks
Sugary beverages are a dentist’s nightmare as they can seriously increase the risk of tooth decay when consumed regularly. So fizzy pops, sports drinks and flavoured waters should be the last items on your shopping list if you’re looking to keep your child’s teeth in top condition!
Avoid sticky and gummy sweets
Sticky and gummy sweets are the worst offenders for sitting between and within hard-to-clean areas of the teeth. This means that, as hard as you try, you may miss some sugary debris when cleaning your child’s teeth, increasing the likelihood of tooth decay.
Maintain good oral hygiene
Make sure your child is flossing and brushing for 2 minutes, twice a day. It’s especially important to maintain this routine if they are taking part in haunting Halloween activities, ensuring that the damaging effect of surgery treats is kept to a minimum!
Book their next dental check-up
The best way to keep your families’ teeth and gums healthy is to make sure they are seeing their dentist regularly for a check-up. The dentist will be able to identify any problems before they get worse, including tooth decay and potential cavities, and help to show your child how best to keep their teeth clean.