When you have children, it seems that no matter how good your intentions, the candy box is always full. From Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s, to Easter and birthday parties—it’s a never-ending parade of candy all year long and preventing cavities is no easy job! As soon as the last traces of Halloween fun-size and Christmas joy are gone from your pantry, in hops the Easter Bunny with a fresh round of sweets.
The Easter Bunny is on his way again right now. The seasonal aisle of the grocery store is overflowing with colorful marshmallow concoctions, pastel-colored jelly beans, chocolate bunnies, and oozy sweet eggs.
When it comes to the biggest candy celebration of them all, Easter and Halloween are neck and neck. Americans spend an average of $28.11 per person on Easter candy. As a country, we spend $2.1 billion dollars on 120 million pounds of the stuff every year. These are astonishing numbers for a holiday that is only one of the holidays that we celebrate with candy each year.
Why Do We Celebrate Easter With Candy?
It is thought that the Easter Bunny first arrived in America with German immigrants in the 1700s. Following their tradition of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhas,” children put out nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs.
The custom spread across the U.S. and the Easter Bunny’s deliveries began to include chocolates and other gifts. As holidays became more commercialized, the amount of Easter candy exploded. So what do we do to make sure we prevent cavities and kids stay cavity free?
Easter Candy and Cavities
It’s not the sugar from the candy itself that gives your kids cavities, but rather what happens in their mouth after they eat the sugar. Some types of bacteria in the mouth feed on the sugars to create acids that destroy tooth enamel. Those acids create a bacterial infection that makes holes in teeth. Without treatment, cavities can go deeper into layers of the tooth, causing pain and possible tooth loss.
Tips to Prevent Cavities at Easter
Give Easter treats that aren’t candy. Some good options for children include:
- Art and craft supplies like stickers, paints, markers, and yarn.
- Travel games, puzzles, yo-yos, and mini-figurines.
- Books about Easter.
- Outdoor toys like bubbles, sidewalk chalk, and jump ropes.
- Toothbrushes and floss (our favorite).
You can limit the candy your kids get at home, but you don’t always have control over the amount of candy your kids get out in the world. If this is the case, be sure that they’re brushing twice a day and flossing regularly. Give them water to drink, and as always, we recommend bringing them in for a cleaning and exam twice a year. Go here for more tips on healthy smiles for kids.
Do your kids need a springtime teeth cleaning? Contact a PERFECT TEETH dental office to schedule your appointment.
