Healthy Habits: Oral Health and Halloween

A minion, an action hero and a pretty princess with a tiara and a wand...This season brings an attempt to satisfy your children with the costume they want, while also trying to figure out how to have some fun yourself.

There’s candy. Lots and lots of candy. That’s one of the cornerstones of Halloween—which can be a good thing since your secret chocolate stash can magically regenerate over night.

But let’s get real. The 600 million pounds of candy bought on Halloween isn’t a good thing. It’s going to cause problems—and not only with the temptation to splurge and ruin your diet. Fact is all that sugar is going to wreak havoc on your teeth and your child’s teeth.

Keeping those pearly whites nice and clean and cavity-free is a lot of work. You know everything it takes to get your kids to brush and…floss. The struggle is real. It all comes together for the dental visit, and then crashes down when you hear the hygienist say your child has cavities. Again. 

I had a chance to interview Shad Slaughter of Spry Dental Defense System to discuss the upcoming holiday as well as tips parents can use throughout the year to keep those teeth squeaky clean and healthy.

Why is Halloween such a tricky time for dental health?

The consumption of sugar increases significantly, and treats are often stashed away and consumed for several days or weeks after.  The smaller sizes often lead to snacking throughout the day which continues to feed the decay process, making it harder for the mouth to restore to a neutral pH.

How can parents help maintain good oral health even with lots of sweets in the house?

Awareness is key.  Halloween is fun and treats are a part of the fun, but there is such a thing as 'too much of a good thing".  Keep the consumption time confined so that the kids aren't snacking throughout the day.  Don't let the kids store the candy in their room. Sneaking a small piece of candy in the middle of the night might not seem like much but it has big ramifications for the teeth.  Make sure that they are chewing gum that is 100% sweetened with xylitol, like Spry gum, throughout the day, especially after eating the candy.  It is also helpful to incentivize them by trading out sugared candy with xylitol sweetened candies like the Spry Gem.

What can parents do to shift the focus of holidays away from candies and sweets?

Acitivies like carving pumpkins, setting up décor, and playing games are great ways of taking the focus off of candy.