Your oral health experts have the “tricks” to dealing with all those treats

MEDIA RELEASE
October 21, 2008

Colour PDF version (PDF) 432KB

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Dental Association (ODA) is reminding parents and kids there are many ways to avoid cavities this Halloween with simple oral health-care tips and practices to ensure a healthy, happy occasion.

“Halloween doesn’t have to be a scary time for your teeth,” says ODA President Dr. Larry Levin. “Eat candy after meals, brush and floss your teeth when you finish and enjoy everything in moderation. These kinds of healthy habits allow kids to have fun and ease a parents’ mind.”

The ODA’s website, www.youroralhealth.ca, offers plenty of tips to ensure a happy and healthy Halloween. Some of these include:

• Save the sugary sweets for just after mealtimes, as the amount of saliva produced at this time will help protect your child’s teeth
• Have your child brush and floss their teeth after eating sugary treats. If your child doesn’t have access to a toothbrush while at school or a friend’s house, give them sugarless gum to help get their saliva flowing
• Finish your meals and snacks with cheese or milk. Cheese is a healthy complement to sweets because of its high calcium content and nutritious value. It tends to buffer the acids produced by oral bacteria and re-mineralizes areas of early tooth decay
• Hard candy, such as lollipops, and sticky sweets, such as toffee, can be more damaging because they remain in the mouth for a longer time. Get your child to trade in these treats by offering them stickers or a Halloween-themed toothbrush
• Eating sweets is fine when done in moderation and for a short period of time, e.g. days, not weeks. Keep candy in a sealed container and establish times when your child can have a treat.

“We have all the ’tricks’ for your treats,” says Dr. Levin. “Following these tips at Halloween, and all year round, will help you and your family have good oral health for life.”

New on www.youroralhealth.ca:

“ODA SoundBites” are 30-second audio clips providing oral health information for parents, educators and media. Feel free to download our “ODA SoundBites” for use on websites, blogs and broadcast outlets. They are available on the Media Room page of our site.


Listen to the October “ODA SoundBite” with ODA President Dr. Larry Levin on oral health and Halloween.
Stream | Download (wav file) 929KB