Your Children's Dental Health and Halloween

One of the main objectives of any Springfield pediatric dentist is to help your children develop good dental habits. The secret to maintaining a bright, healthy smile begins early in life, when your children's teeth are still developing and their body is still growing. And one of the best habits for children to develop is a balanced diet low in added sugars.

Of course, Halloween is a holiday when children are encouraged to collect and eat large amounts of sugar, throwing dietary concerns aside. Your children should absolutely be allowed to participate in the holiday (provided they don't have sugar-related health concerns like diabetes). However, you should also use Halloween as an opportunity to educate them on the steps they can take to ensure a lifetime of good oral health.

Steps you can take:

• Give your children a specific time of day when they can eat candy, rather than snacking on it all day.
• Point out to your kids which candies are the worst for dental health. Typically, these are hard candies that stay in the mouth for extended periods and chewy candy that sticks to teeth.
• Encourage your kids to drink water throughout the day, which can prevent decay.
• Have your kids eat their candy after meals, when saliva production helps to cancel out acids and clean your teeth.
• Let your kids chew gum after meals to keep saliva production up.

One of the most important habits you can help your child develop is the habit of going to the dentist twice a year. If you regularly schedule these dental appointments, your child will be more likely to carry their good dental habits forward into their adult lives.

To schedule a pediatric dentistry appointment for your child, please give us a call.