Halloween is almost upon us – we’ll be seeing all kinds of superheros, princesses, and scary monsters. But there’s nothing scarier out there than tooth decay!

Parents are always in the scariest position: not only giving out candy but handling the sugary hyperactivity and possible tummy aches. Not to mention trying to maintain good oral hygiene in the process.

Of course, a single sugar-filled night isn’t going to hurt anyone – but keeping the spoils and indulging over and over again can become problematic.

Here’s our top tips for preventing tooth decay!

1. Choose wisely – Not all treats are the same. Encourage kids to eat candy that melts fast, like chocolate bars. Avoid sticky sweets like caramel that concentrate sugar on the teeth and can hurt fillings or braces. And stay away from sour snacks that can dissolve enamel.
2. Drink Water – if you can’t brush your teeth right away, just rinsing with water after a sugary snack will help prevent cavities.
3. Hide the extras! Store the excess and distribute over time – or better yet, find a Candy Buy Back and get some $$$!
4. Avoid grazing – use the candy as dessert after meals, not as snacks during the day. Then the sugar-acid challenge is more easily buffered by the saliva and can’t damage the teeth.
5. Eat a healthy meal before Trick or Treating – it’s much less tempting to eat all the candy spoils on a full stomach!
6. Xylitol – stick with xylitol whenever you can. It’s a natural sweetener that doesn’t cause cavities and improves saliva flow.  Dr. Johns has an excellent selection and we have some samples in the office!