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There’s nothing sweeter than all the love in the air on Valentine's Day. But all the sweets that accompany this emotional day can do a number on your child’s teeth.
The great news is that taking a few sensible measures allows your child to enjoy a little candy this Valentine’s Day without harming their teeth. Follow these tips from pediatric dentists Staci Brunell, DMD, and Priyanka Patel, DMD, at Yorktown Pediatric Dentistry in Yorktown Heights, New York, to help your child enjoy a cavity-free Valentine's Day.
Your child doesn’t have to give up all of their favorite candy on Valentine’s Day. Instead, practice eating candy in moderation as a family.
Take your child’s candy haul and help them choose a couple of pieces per day. Limit chewable candy and sour candy to just a couple of total pieces, since these are the most likely to harm teeth.
Remove any hard candy your child received altogether, as these can break your child’s teeth and cause a dental emergency.
You can minimize the harm Valentine’s Day treats cause to your child's teeth by having them eat them as part of a meal. Your child is already producing more saliva during meals, which helps remove candy from teeth and gums more quickly.
Serve your child their Valentine’s Day candy as soon as the main course is finished.
Your child should try to avoid eating candy between meals, but drinking water throughout the day is beneficial for their teeth. Have your child drink water immediately after eating candy, and keep it available for whenever they’re thirsty.
In moderation, chewing sugar-free gum between meals can also help indulge your child’s sweet tooth while encouraging saliva production.
Chocolate is everyone’s favorite Valentine's Day treat, and luckily, it’s also the best sweet for your child’s teeth. Chocolate of all kinds is less sticky than other candies and doesn’t get caught on teeth.
The most tooth-friendly Valentine’s Day chocolates are dark chocolate and any chocolate with added nuts.
Sugar-free candy can also indulge a sweet tooth without being as harmful to your child’s teeth. Consider sugar-free lollipops and gum.
You can minimize the impact of Valentine's Day candy by keeping the rest of your child’s diet nutritious and teeth healthy. Resist the temptation to create sugary, starchy meals for the holiday and stick to nutritious foods instead.
A holiday like Valentine’s Day isn’t a reason to skip regular brushing and flossing. Your child needs to brush twice a day and floss every night.
Older children should carry floss so they can floss out any Valentine’s Day candy that gets stuck between their teeth.
You and your child can create Valentine’s Day presents together that don’t hurt teeth. Consider focusing gifts on non-edible Valentine’s Day gifts like roses and creative cards, topped off with a piece of dark chocolate.
Our team is always available to help your child and their teeth have a great Valentine’s Day without cavities. Contact us for preventive or emergency pediatric dental care.
