Dentist Karen Chu | Kids Tooth-care Tip - What To Do About Sticky Candy

Kids Tooth-care Tip - What To Do About Sticky Candy

What can a parent do about sticky, gooey, candy and sweets?

Even before 'tricking and treating', school and church parties, costumed get-togethers, community fun and other holiday activities will all feature sugary and sticky treats.Caramel apples, taffy and gummy creatures are all stars at this time of year!

It is pretty well known that sticky candy and foods are the worst villains in the story of tooth decay.

Parents and teachers struggle to balance time and kids dental health.They know that you can't leave the sticky candy stuck on the teeth...letting sticky sugar and acids do their worst to those hardest to reach areas.

BUT, immediate brushing is a risk too.

Because, for the first 20-30 minutes after eating, tiny tooth enamel is softened by the acids. Brushing too soon can actually damage the teeth. Usually, dentists recommend using a swish - wait (1/2 hour) -brush method to protect kids teeth. But, for the really sticky candy, this compromise does not hold up so well.

Any caramel apple eater knows ... a quick swish with water to get the worst off before brushing won't even touch the really sticky stuff.

And with all the extra social activities of the season, your kids are more likely to be off and running to the next activity before the 20 - 30 minutes pause is done - even if, the rinse HAS dislodged some of the gooey clinging candy.

So, which less than optimum choice do you choose to guard your kids teeth -- Swish/Wait/Brush or Risky Immediate Brush? Maybe, there is a third choice.

There is a trick... to deal with sticky treats a little more effectively.

Instead of a Swish - Pause 30 minutes - Brush.

Right after sticky candy you could try :

Swish - Floss - Swish-... (and hopefully) Brush in 30 minutes

When it comes to children's teeth, we often forget how much a friend floss can be with sticky edibles and tiny seed foods. It is only a small extra step to add to the kids' usual 'after eating oral hygiene routine'. A step that can give some extra protection when kids enjoy all those gooey treats this time of year.

And, even if the kids slip away before the brush time part of their routine, you have dislodged some of the worst of the sticky sugar from the most vulnerable areas. Leaving less to damage their beautiful smiles.