The Dentist Phillipsburg Trusts Urges Post-Halloween Cleanings

It’s October, and this is one of our favorite months of the year. The air is crisp, and we’re seeing more and more pumpkins on our way to work every day. Yes, Halloween is almost here, and the kids won’t let us forget it. There’s no doubt it — it’s a fun time of year for them, but what about their teeth? Post-halloween, children are binging on sticky, sugary candy for days, and that creates a firestorm of bacteria inside their mouths. This year, don’t let your child’s favorite holiday ruin their smile — help their teeth stay healthy with a post-Halloween cleaning from your dentist in Phillipsburg.

Keeping Your Child’s Mouth Decay-Free, Year-Round

Your child’s first teeth are so precious — but did you know they’re just as vulnerable to decay as yours are? And early tooth decay can have severe effects on their orthodontic and overall health — losing teeth too early can actually prevent a child’s entire mouth from developing properly. Help your child’s mouth remain cavity-free by keeping the following in mind:

• Help them establish good brushing and flossing techniques. Remember that everyone should brush for two minutes, twice a day, and floss once a day. Monitor their technique to make sure they’re doing it right, and model good behavior by caring for your own teeth.
• Encourage them to rinse their mouth out with water after eating or drinking sugary snacks and sodas — once they get used to the feeling, it’s an excellent oral health habit that will last.
• Schedule a dental exam and cleaning every six months. Establishing these good dental hygiene habits early will set them on the path to a strong, healthy smile they can enjoy for a lifetime.

Healthy Mouth Tips for Halloween

We’re not suggesting you take any of the fun out of Halloween — after all, it’s mainly about the candy, isn’t it? But there are some tips you can keep in mind to make sure your child’s mouth is guarded against decay this Halloween.

• Eat a good, balanced dinner the night of Halloween. That way, your child starts the evening off full and happy — and he or she will be less tempted to snack on candy continuously throughout the night.
• Encourage your child to rinse their mouth intermittently with water — that will get a lot of the sugar out.
• Don’t allow your child to take candy into his or her room. Make it a rule to prevent long hours of gorging on sticky, sugary candy.
• Most importantly, make sure you monitor your child’s brushing and flossing habits the night of Halloween — it’s vital that no sugar remains in between tricky cracks or crevices.

Schedule a Post-Halloween Dental Cleaning

The most important tip for healthy Halloween teeth? Schedule a dental cleaning after the madness is over. Call the Lehigh Valley dentist today to help your child’s teeth stay strong and healthy into the holiday season — we want to make sure they’re smiling beautifully for years to come.