Halloween is not far away. The nights are drawing in and Autumn certainly has arrived with the leaves now falling off the trees. Don’t forget the clocks go back one hour Saturday night on the 29th October.
Here’s some scary statistics for you:
1 in 8 three year olds have visible signs of tooth decay.
1 in 4 five year olds have signs of tooth decay.
Tooth decay is a preventable disease, so its up to the parents and guardians to help educate the kids to make Halloween a happy one and not scary one for their teeth! Every time a sugary drink or food is eaten the teeth are under attack for about an hour. If sweets are constantly eaten the teeth don’t get a chance to recover and decay will be the result.
Here are some top tips from Time Dental for a happy Halloween:
- Offer sugar-free sweets- ones that contain xylitol are actually beneficial for oral health.
- Dried fruits are NOT a healthier option for the teeth because they will stick in the teeth and are very high in sugar.
- Limit the number of houses you visit as this will limit the number of sweets collected.
- Keep sweets to mealtimes as this will reduce the amount of time the teeth are exposed to them.
- Supervise the children brushing with a fluoride toothpaste before they go to bed. The night time brushing is most important as the saliva rate is reduced.
See how you get on with these top tips. Have a Happy Hallooooowweeeeeeennn!
Time Dental- private dental care at its best.