Halloween doesn’t have to be a scary time for your children’s teeth as long as smart choices are made about the treats your kids eat.
“We realize it’s unrealistic for parents to keep all of the candy away from children on Halloween,” says Joanne Dawley, DDS, president of the Michigan Dental Association. The good news, according to Dawley, is that “smart dental habits, along with watching when and how much candy is eaten, can reduce the harmful impact of candy on oral health.”
The real trick is to try to avoid the worst offenders; especially the sticky, chewy, hard and crunchy treats. “These sticky, soft candies stick to the teeth and give the decay-causing bacteria and plaque more time to work on your teeth,” says Dawley. “Hard candies like jawbreakers and suckers tend to dissolve slowly in the mouth and coat the teeth with sugar over a long period of time.” Hard candies can also chip the teeth and cause choking, so it’s best to keep them away from younger children.
“It’s important to teach kids to eat in moderation and to make sure they take proper care of their teeth. It’s a good idea to drink water or milk after eating Halloween treats. These drinks will help to rinse sugar away from the teeth until there is time for proper brushing and flossing,” according to Dawley.
Another tip for parents is to offer sugar-free gum with the artificial sweeteners sorbitol and xylitol, which have been shown to reduce cavities. The chewing action stimulates the flow of saliva, which helps to clean the teeth.
The Michigan Dental Association offers the following healthy Halloween tips:
As Dawley says, “A little extra candy on Halloween shouldn’t be a problem. You just don’t want to allow your children to eat too much, too often.”
Headquartered in Lansing, the Michigan Dental Association has more than 5,500 members in 26 local dental societies and two dental schools. Since its founding in 1856, the MDA has sought to educate the public, enhance its members’ ability to provide high quality care and to promote the art of dentistry.
The Michigan Dental Association and the district dental societies of Detroit, Macomb and Oakland County, have joined forces with the Detroit Red Wings to promote oral health.
For five designated games, the Detroit Red Wings will donate $5 for every ticket purchased to support Give Kids A Smile Day events at the University of Detroit Mercy. Give Kids a Smile Day provides oral health care and education to large numbers of low income and disadvantage children. It also serves to inform policy makers of the ongoing challenges that low-income and disabled children face in accessing dental care.
Order your tickets now!
Michigan dentists participate in a variety of state and community programs that offer low-cost or free dental services to individuals in need. These programs offer help to seniors, low-income individuals, patients on Medicaid, disabled, handicapped or institutionalized individuals, children, and others. Read More
Public | Dental Professionals | MDA Services | MDA Insurance | Foundation
Copyright © 2010 Michigan Dental Association | Contact Us