Halloween is often a lot of fun for kids, but the candy that they collect is not great for their teeth. Many children cause damage to their teeth by eating the candy they collect and some need to have emergency dental work done a day or two after Halloween. The following guide walks you through a few of the common dental issues that occur around Halloween.

Loss of Caps and Fillings

When children have a cavity in their tooth, a dentist will often remove the damaged part of the tooth and place a filling in the damaged area and they may then place a cap over that to fully protect the tooth. When your child eats toffee, gummy worms, or any other sticky candy, their fillings or caps may stick to the candy and come loose in their mouth. This will expose the tooth and could cause your child to feel a lot of pain.

Broken or Chipped Teeth

Some Halloween candy is extremely hard. Jawbreakers, lollipops, and even mints can cause damage to your child's teeth when they bite them. When your child goes to chomp down on one of these hard candies, it can chip or even break one of their teeth badly. When this happens, the tooth may need to be repaired or it may even need to be removed from your child's mouth altogether because of how badly it has broken.

Gum Can Cause Many Issues for Your Child

Many parents make the mistake of thinking that sugar-free gum is fine for their children to chew whenever they want, but that is not the case. Sugar-free gum still causes damage to teeth because it helps to build the bacteria in the mouth and spread it throughout the teeth. It can also cause your child to have intestinal issues because they may suck in a lot of air as they chew, which can cause them to feel bloated and uncomfortable.

If you want your children's teeth to be as safe as they can be this Halloween, limit their candy intake. Be sure to allow your child to enjoy a few pieces here and there and have them brush their teeth immediately after they are done eating it so that the sugar does not sit on their teeth and cause damage to them. Separate the candy and take the candy that can cause major damage to a dental office that allows children to swap their candy for a prize. Some dental offices give out small toys and some give out books. Contact a dentist, like Paul Dona DDS, for more help.