October means Halloween in Lynchburg which brings with it a number of exciting things including:
- Haunted houses
- Costume parties
- Candy
- More Candy
- Sugar Crashes
- Obesity Risk
- Tooth decay
You probably might be thinking that this is the same Halloween dental warning you have heard since you were a child but here is a twist. These are some things you can do to enjoy Halloween yet protect your families dental health.
Managing Your Lynchburg Child’s Halloween Experience
I know the ultimate solution would be to not eat candy or take a portable bathroom with you where you can brush and floss after every morsel of chocolate. Unfortunately I don’t think that is realistic. Nor do I want to risk being the unpopular house who hands out toothbrushes and dental floss instead of things like Jolly Ranchers, Skittles, or Reese’s cups.
Halloween doesn’t have to actually be scary due to bad dental hygiene. Here are a few tips I found online to help you manage the impact of mountains of potential candy on your son or daughter.
- Make a note of the total amount of candy your child brings into the house after a night of trick or treating
- Try to break the total amount into smaller assortments that can be rationed over MANY months versus eating them all at once
- Limit how much candy your child can have per day to one piece followed by rigorous brushing and diligent flossing
- Trade something for the caramels, stick candies, or sugary gum for another privilege. Maybe they can stay up thirty minutes later, or go to a movie they like by giving these up. It is definitely a lot cheaper than paying for additional orthodontic care (now that’s scary).
- Give out sugarless gum when trick or treaters come by to help reduce the total consumption of sugary treats kids in your neighborhood will consume. Every little bit helps. Also give dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate since it has antioxidants in it.
- Make sure your children drink lots of water when they consume candy or sugary treats.
- Freeze candy that cannot be consumed in the short term if you are breaking it up over months
As always, these tips can make a huge difference in the long run.
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