With 66% of Americans planning to hand out Halloween candy to trick-or-treaters this year, there will be abundant opportunities for cavities to form. Though spooky season is a fun time for people of all ages, what can you do to help your child make it through without their oral health being negatively impacted? Here are a few Halloween oral health tips that may help.
Tip #1: Eat Beforehand
To discourage your children from grabbing as much candy as possible at every house they visit, feed them a tooth-approved dinner before they go trick-or-treating. You could also have them eat a nutritious snack while they go through their Halloween candy haul. Some smile-healthy food options include:
- Seafood
- Lean meats
- Cheese
- Leafy greens
- Broccoli
- Yogurt
Tip #2: Plan Ahead
Consider mapping out a trick-or-treating route for your kids before they leave the house. This will allow you to come up with the best strategy for their smiles. You can also set a limit for the number of houses they can visit. Urge them to be choosy with the candy they pick so they don’t end up with excessive amounts of sugary treats.
Tip #3: Drink Water
Having your children drink plenty of water while they eat their candy will make it more difficult for cavities to form by washing away some of the sugar in their mouths. Water can also help fill them up faster so they eat less candy at one time.
Tip #4: Candy Trade-in
Allow your child to trade in some of their Halloween candy for sugar-free gum or dark chocolate. You can also buy fun prizes for them to exchange for, including:
- Accessories like novelty glasses, temporary tattoos, bracelets, rings, scrunchies, headbands, hair clips, or glow-in-the-dark vampire teeth
- School supplies like bookmarks, notepads, pencils, stamps, crayons, or erasers
- Toys like slinkies, bubbles, bouncy balls, finger puppets, yo-yos, slime, or Play-Doh
- Halloween plush toys shaped like pumpkins, ghosts, skeletons, or black cats
- Coloring and activity books with Halloween subject matter or designs
Tip #5: Practice Restraint
Teach your little ones about the importance of eating candy in moderation so their teeth are less likely to be harmed by these sugary snacks. Store their candy somewhere they can’t get to so they have to ask you when they want a treat.
Your responsibility to helping your kid care for their teeth lasts far beyond Halloween. By following these six tips, they’ll have a fun Halloween without sacrificing their smile.
About the Practice
Torbram Dental offers high-tech, dentistry with a soft touch courtesy of Dr. Fava, Dr. Babahami, and their talented Brampton team. They combine the latest in dental care with highly personalized, exceptional service to help make sure patients of all ages feel safe and at-ease during their appointments. They can help your kids learn about the importance of keeping their teeth and gums healthy for beautiful smiles that last a lifetime. Visit Torbram Dental’s website or call their office at (905) 792-7163 for more information about how to protect your child’s smile this Halloween.
Simrit has been working at Torbram Dental since 2001. She started her career with Assisting/Treatment co-ordinating and then moved on to becoming the Hygiene Co Ordinator in 2005. In 2012 she took on a new role as the Marketing Director. Though she loved being the Marketing Director, in 2015 she became the Office Manager of Torbram Dental. She completed her Level 1 Dental Assisting program with Career Canada in 1996 and then went on to complete her Level II Dental Assisting Diploma with Southwestern Medix in 1999. That is when she received NDAEB Certification. Simrit has been and still is an active member of the Ontario Dental Assistants Association since 2000. She enjoys hiking and traveling with her husband and two kids and loves to explore new restaurants, especially high-tea venues.
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Jessica, one of our receptionists, is one of the smiling faces you see when you arrive at the office. She graduated with honours from Medix College with a diploma as a Level 2 Dental Assistant. When she is not happily helping our patients, Jessica enjoys spending quality time with her friends and family, going to church on Sunday mornings, gardening and going on hikes.
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Naudia has been working at Torbram Dental for many years and is a valued member of our administrative team: as a dental receptionist and in our marketing team . She graduated from Everest College with honours level 1 and 2, with a diploma in Dental Assisting. Naudia is always there for our patients, making sure that they receive the care and attention they deserve. When not at the office, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking and indulging in civil court TV shows.
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Ramandeep has been a part of Torbram Dental for the past 10 years as certified dental assistant. She obtained her level 1 certification from Everest college in Brampton in 2013, and then her level 2 certification in 2014 from Medix college. Her career path through the clinic has been recognized by staff at all levels who admire her work ethic and dedication to million dollar smiles. In her spare time, Ramandeep enjoys cooking and gardening, and spending time with her husband and 2 kids.
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Sana is a valued member of our dental hygiene team. In 2008 she completed her education at George Brown in Dental Assisting and in 2016 she earned her diploma in Dental Hygiene from the Canadian Academy of Dental Health and Sciences. Sana has been working in dentistry since 2008 and enjoys taking care of our patients and helping them with their oral health. She is married and is busy with her 2 young children. In her spare time, Sana enjoys going out with the family, trying out new places to eat and is looking forward to travelling with them in the future.
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Sanaria has been working at Torbram Dental for many years as a valued member of our Dental Assisting Team. She completed her level 2 dental assisting certification and previously obtained a degree in Education and worked as a quality control officer in the pharmaceutical industry. When not at work Sanaria loves to bake and cook. She also loves story time and enjoying the outdoors with her children. She always sees the positive side of life, believes that nothing is impossible and that if you set a goal and work at it, that you will make your dreams come true.
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Carrie has been working at Torbram Dental since 2001. She graduated from George Brown College in 1998 with a Dental Assistant Diploma and continued to further her education by completing a Dental Hygiene Diploma in 2001 at Durham College. Carrie is a highly trained and experienced Registered Dental Hygienist who continues to learn and grow by updating her knowledge to provide her clients with the best Oral Health Care techniques and information. Carrie is passionate about Dentistry and is known for her gentle and compassionate manner. She feels strongly about building lasting relationships and trust with her clients to help them understand that good Oral Health leads to good Overall Health. Carrie enjoys travelling, dabbling in decorating and a good Netflix series in her time off. Carrie resides in Halton Hills with her husband and two children.
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Daniela's interest in Dentistry began in Gr.6 when she wrote a speech entitled "My Life as a Toothbrush".
A Registered Dental Hygienist with 22 years of clinical experience, Daniela still has a great passion for her career. The most rewarding aspect for her is building lasting relationships with her patients, and seeing them through to a healthier smile.
Her thorough yet gentle touch will ensure a comfortable visit every time.
Daniela is a total Foodie and loves to cook and enjoys all types of cuisines. She loves Florida, Cruises, organizing things, and most of all spending time with family and friends.
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Stephanie Enjoys getting to know all new patients at Torbram Dental and catching up with long standing Patients. Stephanie enjoys spending quality time with her family. One of her favorite things to do with her daughter is teach and play the piano. Stephanie likes going on walks with her husband and enjoys spending as much time with him as he is an Active Member of the Canadian Army. On Sundays, Stephanie enjoys going to Church and looks forward to Sunday Dinner with her entire family. Stephanie's Favorite thing to do to start her day right is head to her local Starbucks and Grab her favorite drink, an iced black tea with light lemonade on warm days and a blonde vanilla latte on those cold winter days.
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