Helping Your Kids’ Teeth Survive Holiday Sweets
You are proud of the fact that your children eat a well-balanced diet. Whatever is on the dinner table, they will happily devour it, including veggies. From time to time, you allow them to indulge in sweets and junk food, but overall, they eat healthy fare. You are fortunate enough that they have outgrown the stage of being picky eaters.
But now that the holidays are just a few months away, you are concerned about the proliferation of sweets and other indulgent foods and how these can wreak havoc on their oral health.
Why should parents be concerned about sugary food and drinks? Plenty of bacteria naturally occur in the human mouth. Now, when you consume a diet that is high in sugar, the bacteria in your mouth will feed on sugar and create acids. Left unchecked, these acids can damage the teeth’s enamel and leave it weaker and vulnerable to dental problems like tooth decay and gingivitis.
Come the holiday season, when these sugary treats are more accessible, the risk of your children succumbing to these dental problems increases. When children (and adults) indulge in sweets throughout the day, they can become more vulnerable to tooth decay and gum disease.
Instead of prohibiting your children from eating their favorite desserts and indulgent food and drinks, here are a few strategies for helping your kids’ teeth survive holiday sweets.
Balance is key
Instead of feasting solely on holiday sweets, try to balance things out by serving other types of food which can minimize the impact of sugary and high carb foods on your young ones’ teeth.
Make smart choices
Avoid giving your children treats which stick to their teeth and their mouth. For example, instead of giving them caramel goodies, give them dark chocolate bars.
Have your child brush after each meal
Have your children brush their teeth after each meal. The only exception to that rule is if they consumed food or drinks that are high in acid, like oranges. The acid in these food and drinks can weaken the enamel and brushing immediately after the consumption of these can damage the teeth.
Dental Prep
If you are traveling for the holidays, prepare your family’s dental kit containing a toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste and dental floss. If it is not possible for your children to brush their teeth, ask them to rinse their mouth to remove food particles.
October is a great time to schedule your child’s dental check-up. Your pediatric dentist will support your efforts to guide your children when it comes to caring for their teeth during the holidays. Also, check out our Halloween candy buyback program at Surfsidekidsdental.com.
Hang Loose Dudes!
