{"id":168,"date":"2019-10-25T22:22:29","date_gmt":"2019-10-25T22:22:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.castlerocksmiles.com\/blog\/?p=168"},"modified":"2019-11-14T22:30:10","modified_gmt":"2019-11-14T22:30:10","slug":"5-tips-to-help-you-avoid-saying-my-kid-has-a-cavity-this-holiday-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.castlerocksmiles.com\/blog\/2019\/10\/25\/5-tips-to-help-you-avoid-saying-my-kid-has-a-cavity-this-holiday-season\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips To Help You Avoid Saying “My Kid Has a Cavity” This Holiday Season!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Kids<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Many kids look forward to the holidays all year, especially since there are so many delicious goodies around. Unfortunately, it’s also a time when pediatric dentists frequently hear, “My kid has a cavity” from parents. But don’t worry, you won’t have to turn into a total Scrooge to keep your child’s smile healthy! In fact, there are 5 simple tips you can use to keep sugar from taking such a toll on their teeth and help them stay cavity-free over the holidays. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

1. Hydrate With Water, Not Soda or Juice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At this time of year, one easy way to balance all the sugary treats is simply not keeping soda or juice around the house. Water will do a better job of keeping your child hydrated while also washing away residual sugars in their mouth that contribute to cavities.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Minimize Snacking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Frequent snacking, especially when sugar is involved, is the perfect recipe for cavities. While many parents are aware of the amount<\/em> of sugar their kids have, they forget to pay attention to how frequently<\/em> they have it, which is just as important, if not more so! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a helpful phrase to keep in mind: \u201cSip all day, get decay.\u201d Although it refers to sipping on sweet drinks, the principle also applies to nibbling on sugary foods as well. Encourage your kids to have their holiday treats in one sitting or as part of a meal, rather than snacking throughout the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Give Them Chew Sugar-Free Gum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For children over age 4, chewing sugar-free gum is a great way to prevent cavities after meals or snacks when you’re away from home. It stimulates salivary flow that washes away food and also neutralizes acids in the mouth that would otherwise cause tooth decay.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The holiday season is a busy time, but it’s extra important to encourage good brushing and flossing habits to counteract all the high-sugar foods. Kids over age 6 should also be using a fluoride mouthwash from the store (also called anti-cavity formula). This will strengthen their enamel and give them an added layer of cavity protection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Schedule a Checkup With a Pediatric Dentist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Along with good habits at home, professional care is an essential part of keeping your child’s teeth healthy. By seeing a pediatric dentist<\/a> for a checkup, you can find out if they have any cavities (and have them treated while they’re small), get their teeth professionally polished, and have a fluoride treatment done that will help their teeth stay cavity-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With these 5 tips, you won’t find yourself saying, “My kid has a toothache” this year. Instead, they’ll have a healthy smile the whole holiday season and well into the new year! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Author <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As a father of four, Dr. Layne Benzley<\/a> is a pediatric dentist who understands the struggles parents face with healthy food choices during the holidays. He always provides tips at this time of year to help kids enjoy sugar in moderation and maintain good oral health. If you’d like to know more about preventing holiday cavities or have any other questions, he can be reached via his website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many kids look forward to the holidays all year, especially since there are so many delicious goodies around. Unfortunately, it’s also a time when pediatric dentists frequently hear, “My kid has a cavity” from parents. But don’t worry, you won’t have to turn into a total Scrooge to keep your child’s smile healthy! In fact, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n5 Tips To Help You Avoid Saying "My Kid Has a Cavity" This Holiday Season!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Want to make sure your child avoids toothaches this holiday season? 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