Over indulgence on those sweet treats now okay with dentists?
For the longest time dentists usually were known to give the advice of brush your teeth and avoid sweets now it appears they are all for that sugary delight.
Now it seems dentists are saying having those sugary treats are actually good for your teeth. Their reasoning that by snacking slowly on those Halloween goodies every few hours each day will keep the teeth soaked in enamel-corroding acid, the after effect of bacteria which feeds on sugar and other carbohydrates within the mouth. This results in dental caries or cavities.
To make more sense of this oral hygiene think of it this way; it is better to five candy bars at once then one candy every couple of hours. In this example, acid builds up in the mouth but your salvia will naturally counteract this over the span of an hour or little longer. End result the acid is removed.
Having your fill of candy is said to better because the belief is it is more likely to be followed by teeth brushing. People and when it especially comes to children are not really likely to brush their teeth after each candy bar especially if they are not home.
Stickiness and acidity are really the culprits that lead to those cavities. Chocolate is not that bad compared to potato chips and pretzels. Those snack time foods are cooked carbohydrates that adhere to the teeth providing mouth bacteria with a longer feast which produces more acid.
Among candies avoid those sour and sticky kinds which stay stuck in the molar till Thanksgiving time. Sour candy has more acid creating double trouble.
Just don’t jump for joy yet, all those plus sides of candy only apply to oral health?
Those children that are overly obese and endure pre-diabetes or diabetes should not have candy at all.
Dr. Rhea Haugseth, dentist in Marietta, Georgia and President of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists has her own view when it comes to Halloween and its sugary treats.
Dr. Haugseth does not disagree with kids trick or treating it is a big night for those little goblins. She does not there are ways to avoid risking cavities and still have a ghostly Halloween. Try handing out dark chocolate instead of chewy candies or try bribing a child with a toy in exchange for their candy supply. There have been studies demonstrating dark chocolate is good for heart and does not stick to the teeth like those chewy candies.
To help your little goblins in not overeating on those treats try giving them a healthy filling meal before they go on their Halloween trek according to Bethany Thayer spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and employee of Henry Ford Health Systems in Detroit. She also suggests avoiding those cavity promoting candies like caramels or lollipops that are loaded in sugar.
Miami nutritionist Ronni Litz Julien notes that another good idea is for parents to ask children not to dip into their goody bags until they come home. It helps promote safety by allowing parents to throw out those suspicious looking candy and stops that candy attack.
Over 1,500 dentists in the nation are participating in Halloween candy buy back which is organized by Operation Gratitude. This group periodically sends out care packages to the overseas U.S. troops. Some dentists pay kids $1.00 a pound for their candy. Last year 250,000 pounds of candy had been bought back.
Dr. Brian Wansink, PhD, food behavior scientist at Cornell University and author of the book "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think."
His suggestion to parents who are going to encourage their children to give up the candy should not do it immediately due to the psychology principle “the endowment effect”.
It refers to children that feel a sense of ownership and placing a high value on that candy they collect.
He suggests letting them have a few pieces first so that feeling can fade and they will not feel hungry anymore. It actually works according to Dr. Wansink who has tried it on his own three daughter’s ages two, four and six. He comments his girls eagerly gave up their candy for a new toy or trinket.
Young children are not aware of the candy loot that they collect and bring home. When they do start to kind of take account of their body it may be the time they stop going trick or treating according to Dr. Wanskink.
Detroit has no set hours listed today for trick or treating.
To see other community hours Click on Detroit.
Henry Ford offers Halloween Safety Tips online.
Have a safe and happy Halloween.
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