Last year I pled not to cancel Halloween. We could celebrate safely by implementing innovative public health mitigation measures, like candy chutes made of PVC pipe, wearing masks with costumes, and keeping trick-or-treat gangs small. This year’s a lot different. As parents, it may seem no different because kids don’t have vaccines and
Thank you so much for this. I've missed Halloween and am prepared and looking forward to this year. I do the Teal Pumpkin Project and only give out non-food treats. When I put myself on the NextDoor app, I was sad to see I was the only house on the block. On two streets that run ~6 blocks and ordinarily get (literally) 700-1000 children each year, most houses are listed only as having decorations (and they are incredible decorations) but only a few giving treats.
Every year, and multiple times each year, parents are faced with a dilemma. “If I let my kids participate in this holiday and eat a lot of candy, I’ll pay for it at the dentist’s office. If I don’t let them participate, then I’m the Scrooge parent”. Those don’t have to be the only two choices for you and your kids.
Let’s put dental scientific research to work and come up with another option that is a Win-Win. Here is the secret to solving this dilemma. Cavities are formed by organized bacteria called plaque (sticky biofilm attached to the enamel). Bacteria (bugs) thrive on refined carbohydrates (sugars). The byproduct (think potty) of their digesting sugars is an acid that gets trapped by the plaque against the enamel of the person’s teeth. Enough acid baths and the tooth starts to decay.
Two important things about plaque we can use to our advantage. The first one is, each intake of sugar raises the acid level in the plaque for 20 minutes. The second is, it takes plaque 24 hours to reorganize after it’s been disrupted (broken up). So let’s put that knowledge to work for us.
Let’s use Halloween for an example. Let your kids go Trick or Treating with all their friends. Don’t be a Hum Bug. Before they leave, as part of dressing up, make flossing and brushing part of the routine. When they come home, first help them pick out the candy to eat – avoid sticky and hard candy, they stay in the mouth longer. Then let them eat all the candy they want and even encourage more, till they are sick of it. After that, have them go brush and floss their teeth before going bed. During the night the Tooth Fairy (blame her, she’s a friend of mine and said she can take it) gets rid of all the leftover candy. She likes to donate it to groups like Operation Gratitude for the troops overseas or Ronald McDonald House. The kids probably won’t miss it for days after their binge. If they do, brag on them helping the Tooth Fairy with their donation.
So, what did we accomplish with this scientific approach? First, your kids had fun with all their friends. Second, you are a “normal, fun” parent. Third, the bacteria got feed and went potty with acid on their teeth only once, not multiple times every day for weeks. Fourth, the plaque got disrupted twice so bacteria couldn’t turn any sugar into acid all night long.
If you want to go to the next level, here are a few suggestions. Give out sugarless candy and gum. Even better, ones sweetened with Xylitol (it kills the cavity causing bacteria, but keep away from pets). Apples are great treats as are toys and simple games. Take a lesson from Happy Meals – kids love the treats. The main thing is: Don’t stress - enjoy the holiday with your kids knowing you are using “Dental Scientific Research”. It makes a better alternative for you, them and their teeth!
Thank you so much for this. I've missed Halloween and am prepared and looking forward to this year. I do the Teal Pumpkin Project and only give out non-food treats. When I put myself on the NextDoor app, I was sad to see I was the only house on the block. On two streets that run ~6 blocks and ordinarily get (literally) 700-1000 children each year, most houses are listed only as having decorations (and they are incredible decorations) but only a few giving treats.
Great information! Thank you!
Helpful information: Kids and Candy
Every year, and multiple times each year, parents are faced with a dilemma. “If I let my kids participate in this holiday and eat a lot of candy, I’ll pay for it at the dentist’s office. If I don’t let them participate, then I’m the Scrooge parent”. Those don’t have to be the only two choices for you and your kids.
Let’s put dental scientific research to work and come up with another option that is a Win-Win. Here is the secret to solving this dilemma. Cavities are formed by organized bacteria called plaque (sticky biofilm attached to the enamel). Bacteria (bugs) thrive on refined carbohydrates (sugars). The byproduct (think potty) of their digesting sugars is an acid that gets trapped by the plaque against the enamel of the person’s teeth. Enough acid baths and the tooth starts to decay.
Two important things about plaque we can use to our advantage. The first one is, each intake of sugar raises the acid level in the plaque for 20 minutes. The second is, it takes plaque 24 hours to reorganize after it’s been disrupted (broken up). So let’s put that knowledge to work for us.
Let’s use Halloween for an example. Let your kids go Trick or Treating with all their friends. Don’t be a Hum Bug. Before they leave, as part of dressing up, make flossing and brushing part of the routine. When they come home, first help them pick out the candy to eat – avoid sticky and hard candy, they stay in the mouth longer. Then let them eat all the candy they want and even encourage more, till they are sick of it. After that, have them go brush and floss their teeth before going bed. During the night the Tooth Fairy (blame her, she’s a friend of mine and said she can take it) gets rid of all the leftover candy. She likes to donate it to groups like Operation Gratitude for the troops overseas or Ronald McDonald House. The kids probably won’t miss it for days after their binge. If they do, brag on them helping the Tooth Fairy with their donation.
So, what did we accomplish with this scientific approach? First, your kids had fun with all their friends. Second, you are a “normal, fun” parent. Third, the bacteria got feed and went potty with acid on their teeth only once, not multiple times every day for weeks. Fourth, the plaque got disrupted twice so bacteria couldn’t turn any sugar into acid all night long.
If you want to go to the next level, here are a few suggestions. Give out sugarless candy and gum. Even better, ones sweetened with Xylitol (it kills the cavity causing bacteria, but keep away from pets). Apples are great treats as are toys and simple games. Take a lesson from Happy Meals – kids love the treats. The main thing is: Don’t stress - enjoy the holiday with your kids knowing you are using “Dental Scientific Research”. It makes a better alternative for you, them and their teeth!