As your little ones head out for trick-or-treating tomorrow, remember these quick tips:
[bulletlist]
- Before Halloween, ask your dentist about sealants to protect the decay-prone grooves in your child’s molar teeth.
- Ensure children eat a good, hearty meal prior to trick-or-treating, so there will be less temptation to gorge on candy.
- Promote good oral health care habits to your children year-round by encouraging twice daily brushing with fluoridated toothpaste, daily flossing and regular dental checkups.
- Don’t buy Halloween candy too far in advance to avoid the temptation for children (and adults) to get a head start on the splurge.
- At the end of the night, remove the sticky, gummy and chewy choices from your child’s candy haul since these are the biggest cavity causers.
- Limit the number of treats per day and reinforce the need for good oral hygiene
[/bulletlist]
To learn more about what dentists give out at Halloween and get their best advice for keeping kids’ teeth healthy, visit www.trickytreats.org.
And HAPPY HALLOWEEN!