How Can I Protect My Kids’ Teeth This Easter?

Easter is fast approaching; I can tell by the abundance of sweet, tempting convenience store counter-adjacent Cadbury Cream Eggs that tempt me every time I go to pay for gas.
Kids love Easter, and nothing is cuter than the looks on their faces when they wake up to find an elaborately decorated basket overflowing with sweet confections. Nothing also wreaks more havoc on children’s teeth.
If you’re considering substituting the hollow chocolate bunny for sticky Starbusrt or Skittles to salvage your children’s teeth, think again: Chocolate is washed away easily by saliva, while super sticky taffies and gummy candies tend to stick to the teeth, producing acids that creep up between the grooves and fire away at tooth enamel. Ouch!
There are some things you can do to ensure your children enjoy Easter with minimal adverse side effects on their teeth:

1.) Have them eat candy with a meal. This will help counteract the acid produced by the sugars in candy, while also keeping them from overeating.
2.) Have them brush after eating candy. If they are not around a toothbrush, have them drink lots of water to help wash away excess candy particles and acids.
3.) Give them some sugar free gum to chew afterwards.

Another excellent defense against the sugars and acids encountered not only on Easter but during our daily lives in general is having your dentist put dental sealants on your children’s teeth. Dental sealants are comprised of a thin layer of plastic-like material that your dentist brushes into the grooves of the molar teeth, sealing them from decay caused by the acids produced by sugary and carbohydrate-rich foods and drinks. Your child most likely already has fluoride treatments during cleanings, which protects the outer surface of teeth; sealants protect the grooves within the chewing surface of teeth. Often, these grooves run deep—too deep for the bristles of the toothbrush to adequately reach—making a challenging task of preventing bacteria from getting into those grooves during regular brushing.

Sealants are typically covered by dental insurance as a preventive benefit up to a certain age, usually between 13 and 16, depending on your policy. Call your insurance company to find out specific age limitations for your children, and give us a call so we can protect those precious molars from harm for years to come, possibly saving hundreds of dollars on fillings, root canals, and crowns in the future.