Without your help and guidance, your children would likely spend the first few days of November eating all their Halloween candy.
It’s important to teach kids early in life that sugar causes cavities, but this doesn’t mean you should deny your children the candy that they worked so hard for.
Here are a few tips on how to manage your child’s Halloween candy and oral health.
Let them enjoy their candy, but modify the amount.
Take time to look through all the candy and let your child pick out 20 pieces.
Donate leftover candy to a local shelter.
Not only is this a good time to teach about oral health, but you can also teach the importance of sharing. What better way for kids to learn about sharing than to give to others?
Set a designated candy time.
Set aside a time during the week or day that is specifically for them to enjoy one piece of candy.
Keep candy out of sight when it is not designated candy time.
There is no need to provide temptation.
After candy, brush for two minutes.
Brushing is going to be extra necessary after treat time, so make sure your children brush for two minutes, so they can get into a good habit that they will use for the rest of their lives.
No brushing? No candy tomorrow.
If they don’t want to brush, tell them they will get no candy the next day, and follow through on your word.
Educate kids about sugar bugs while they brush.
In the dental world, we like to call cavities on kids “Sugar Bugs”. It’s a cute way to tell them about what leads to cavities. When brushing you can talk to them about brushing away all their sugar bugs!
Try a mouth rinse.
Over-the-counter mouth rinses are available that show kids the areas of their mouth that they need to pay a little more attention to when brushing. These mouth rinses can be used right before brushing to show them exactly where to brush longer and they can be used after brushing is complete to show them the areas they have missed and any areas they need to work on.