Candy Conundrum
Why It’s Okay to Let Your Kids Have Candy This Halloween
Hi, everyone! Dr. Sabo here again.
Fall is a fun time for us all. Along with the change in seasons come all the tasty fall treats: cinnamon- spiked cider, pumpkin pie, and, of course, Halloween candy. There are few things more exciting for kiddos than dressing up as their favorite characters and collecting FREE candy! Contrary to what many people may believe about dentists, I’m not a curmudgeon when it comes to handing out candy. In addition to a new toothbrush, I hand out fun treats as well! Now, what to do with all the sweet loot your child brings home? As a child, I used to enjoy the fruity varieties like Skittles in my bag of goodies. Now that I’m a dentist, I understand that my preference for these candies may not have been the best choice for my teeth. Sticky, sour candies are harder to remove from between the tooth surfaces and can lead to the burning of the enamel. This burning comes from an acid that the bacteria excrete after feeding on the sugar left behind. In our house, I’ve taught my kids to choose a few handfuls of treats they’d like to keep. We place these in a jar and donate the rest to care packages for our troops abroad. The kids then get to choose one piece a day — pairing it with a meal is best, like as a dessert after dinner — which decreases the exposure time of the sugar to the bacteria in our mouths. When candy is enjoyed in moderation and brushing and flossing occurs twice each day, we are doing our best to defend against sugar’s harmful effects. It is my hope that these independent choices fostered NOW will translate into a lifetime of healthy choices!
Learn more oral health tips for the whole family at your biannual appointments. Schedule yours by calling 951.769.1616.
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