As healthy as your household may be, candy is unavoidable at Halloween. Even with dentist candy trade-in programs, the "Switch Witch," and every other way you pry that high fructose corn syrup-filled pillow case out of your child's clammy, over-sugared hands, their teeth are in serious jeopardy. With this level of tooth-rot threat abound, you need to arm your dental hygiene routine, well, to the "teeth" (pun TOTALLY intended) with these four products.
Brushes
Depending on the age of your child, there are different toothbrushes to meet the specific needs of their dental care. From finger brushes for infants to brushes with smaller bristle heads to more easily fit in your child's mouth, there are plenty of brushes that provide great dental care made from natural, safe materials. You can even find soft-bristled brushes with an angled handle to help your little gremlin reach those pearly whites.
Toothpaste
When it comes to toothpaste for kids, we are extremely lucky to live in modern times. No longer are you stuck subjecting your sweet babes to the harsh sting of mint paste. These days, you can find a plethora of all-natural toothpastes in a variety of flavors from strawberry to watermelon and even bubble gum. You can get flouride-free kid-friendly toothpaste, or toothpaste made with xylitol, or the old standby — fluoride, all of which are fantastic for helping to prevent cavities.
Rinse
According to the American Dental Association, if your child is over the age of six, he or she can begin incorporating a dental rinse into their daily dental hygiene routine. This is particularly important if your local water source is not fluoridated. Whatever your belief is on community water fluoridation, you can make sure your children's teeth stay protected against cavities by using a fluoride rinse. This helps to prevent and repair early stages of enamel decay. It's especially useful for helping with the common decay that happens between teeth.
Floss
You're all lazy and you know it. I haven't met a single person who flosses as often as they are supposed to, except for my friend who is actually a dental hygienist. But you really, truly need to do everything you can to get this habit in place not only for yourself but for your children. There are so many types of floss available to meet your needs, there's just no excuse to let it go. What's even better is that there are so many products that make flossing easier for kids, including individual flossers that fit better in little mouths and floss threaders, which fit in and around braces.
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