Protecting Your Child's Oral Health During the Holidays

During the festive season children normally have an overdose of treats. Typically, they are loaded with sugar and could easily wreak havoc on their oral health. Parents must make sure to protect their children’s teeth and smiles, especially during this time of the year. This can be achieved by taking additional steps to ensure healthy treats and healthy mouths.

 

During Halloween

This holiday is most likely the biggest offender of them all and can be any dentist’s main concern. Children will typically come home with bags and bags of different treats, which may cause serious dental problems. This is due to the sugar mixing with bacteria in their mouths.

It’s important to regulate their consumption and limit the number of candy children eat. Furthermore, it is vital to make sure they brush their teeth regularly, as well as rinsing their mouths after eating sugary treats or candy.

Children should also be encouraged to choose chocolates over candy. Even though chocolates also contain sugar, it has better health benefits to offer their gums and teeth as compared to hard candy. Sticky or hard treats dissolve very slowly and generally cling onto their teeth for a long period of time after consumption.

Parents must also consider other children’s oral health when they select treats to hand out during this holiday. It might be better to select other treats like potato chips, pretzels or even small toys. Those that prefer handing out candy need to choose chocolate treats, preferably ones with non-sticky ingredients such as caramel or toffee.

 

The Thanksgiving Holiday

Most of the time, during Thanksgiving dinners, families tend to choose from a variety of different dessert dishes, which is very traditional for this celebration. However, it’s important to limit your child to have only one type of dessert with their meal. You could maybe suggest they have another dessert the following day.

 

Christmas

Candy at Christmas time may also cause problems. Therefore, it’s better if parents fill stockings with snacks that are healthy, small toys, or only a couple of pieces of candy, preferably ones that are a bit healthier. The same will go for sweet desserts and juices as these should be limited and only provided at dinner time.

 

Incorporate desserts into meals

Instead of serving dessert at the end of a meal, incorporate it into the meal. It can be very helpful if sweet sugary desserts get incorporated into balanced meals. Different foods that are healthy won’t just displace sugar away from the teeth, additionally, it may help to neutralize the acids found when ingesting sugar.

 

Make teeth brushing fun

It’s important that a child maintains proper oral care throughout the year. But during the holiday season, you have an opportunity to make oral and dental care more fun. You may try to get a child brushing with a cartoon character toothbrush, as well as looking for floss that is colorful.

 

The importance of scheduling visits to the dentist

It’s easier during the holidays with children out of school, to schedule a visit to the dentist. They can go for a proper checkup and cleaning, plus, you can ask the dentist for extra tips on keeping their teeth in a healthy condition during the festive season.

 

Tips for maintaining good oral hygiene

Avoid or limit the intake of gooey and sticky sweets because it may stick onto the teeth’s inner surfaces for long periods of time. Choose dark chocolates or milk. When it’s not possible to floss and brush after the intake of sticky sweets, try chewing some gum, preferably sugarless and drink water. It can help wash away any bacteria.

Kids should sip their citrus beverages through straws. Doing so will minimize the exposure of the beverage to their enamel.

 

Use a fluoride mouthwash for anti-cavities

Parents that plan on staying over somewhere or staying out late, should ensure that their children’s toothpaste and toothbrush are with them. Thus, they can still brush their teeth prior to going to bed.

When something unexpected happens and their paste and brush won’t be available, ensure they drink plenty of water, as well as gargling prior to bedtime. If anything damaging happens to your child’s teeth during the festive season, do not delay, get the earliest appointment at the dentist for a thorough checkup.