Let Them Eat Candy!
7 Tips For Your Trick Or Treaters
It’s Halloween! A night for our kids to be whatever they want while they fill bags upon bags with the gooiest of treats. It’s all fun and games until someone gets a cavity – to paraphrase a classic. So how do dentists see this holiday? I had the distinct pleasure of talking to Dr. Jennifer Salzer this week, and here are a few of the things me and the self-proclaimed “pro-candy doctor” discussed.
BEST CANDY FOR KIDS
Chocolate! So hands off, Mom. Chocolate washes away from the teeth a lot easier than its gummier counterparts. Of course, all candy can be consumed by the little ones as long as you make sure they are brushing and flossing as soon as possible when the feasting ends. Oh, and parents chocolate is the best candy for us all so keep that in mind.
CANDY BUYBACK
Many parents may not be aware of this, but there are programs in your neighborhood where kids can sell their candy. Dentists’ offices take the candy and pay the children per pound. Dr. Salzer’s office pays $1 per pound. That’s some great loot for a kid and most of the candy is usually donated to a charity.
SWITCH WITCH
There’s a new tradition in town and it’s called “The Switch Witch.” The Switch Witch is a character who, when kids leave their candy out, comes to collect it and leaves a toy in its place. I don’t like it personally because I think it keeps kids from learning moderation with their candy, but Dr. Salzer loves this clever way to get rid of the candy and start a tradition.
CANDY TRADITIONS
Dr. Salzer is the mother of four! So you can imagine as a dentist she had to come up with some clever ways to get her children to brush and I just adore this one. On Halloween night she gives her children new toothbrushes. They can eat all the candy they want, but they have to be extra diligent with their brushing. What better way to do that than with new Crest and Oral-B products? She also has the same policy with Easter. Great idea!
FLOSSING FOR TODDLERS
As many of you know I have a two-year-old daughter and I definitely needed answers on how to help her get the gummy candy out of her mouth (yes, she has a preference already), and Dr. Salzer had a great bit of information for me on this front. If you hear the floss click when it goes in between their teeth then you have done a great job. Mission accomplished, um, right after I get the wee one to open up.
PACIFIER VS. FINGER
Another concern I have is that Joelle has recently started sucking her finger. I almost want her to go back to the pacifiers because she now has little scars on her hands, and the doctor told me it really doesn’t matter. It’s not about what they put in their mouths, babies need soothing, but the position of their mouth when they sleep. When your child is resting they should have their lips closed. Otherwise, you should let your dentist know and they will check further for future problems. Poor baby. Now I’m up half the night making sure she doesn’t have dental damage.
GETTING THEM TO BRUSH
My last toddler question had to do with just getting them to let you help them brush. A timer works to help them brush for two minutes (the recommended time we all brush). You can also use songs to help them keep brushing. As with anything toddler related you just gotta keep trying.
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I’d like to thank Dr. Salzer for taking time out of her practice to speak to me. I did a little online survey and someone wanted to know if dentists dress up for Halloween. Yes, Dr. Salzer’s office dresses up, but it isn’t a requirement and not everyone participates. The impression I got from the doctor is that Halloween is a fun time for kids and adults. Yes, we need to be very careful about how we clean and protect our teeth after the fun is done, but don’t forget the “fun” part. Kids only get to indulge like this once or twice a year. Just make sure they aren’t sneaking any candy after they have brushed very thoroughly.
I was offered an interview with Dr. Jennifer Salzer about Halloween via Jessica Singer at the MSL Group which represents Crest and Oral-B. As a mother and blogger, I jumped at the chance. During the interview I was offered Oral-B and Crest products which I accepted, but the opinions are my own.
Dr. Jennifer Salzer is a graduate of Duke University and New York University College of Dentistry, where she received her post-graduate certificate in Orthodontics. She is the recipient of numerous awards in the dental profession, and has been a national lecturer for Invisalign and a spokesperson for Crest products and a member of the Pro Health Advisory Board. She recently invented Bracelets, a popular accessory line made from orthodontic braces.
In addition to all of her work in the dentistry field, Dr. Salzer is the mother of four children all under 10 years old Mason, Jesse, Beau, and Vivi.
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Ella Rucker is a mother of a two-year-old girl and the guardian of two boys. She is currently working on dispelling the myth that being a “stay at home mom” has anything to do with staying at home. Ella moved from Ohio to New York City twelve years ago where she is currently assisting the head GEM and proving that sticking your neck out just might help you win the race. She loves to read about the “mental laws” and seeing them work in her life, but her greatest joy is laughing madly and wildly with her daughter who amazes her everyday. You can also find her writing for mochamanual.com or by following her tweets @ellalaverne.
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