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Saving your kids’ teeth during Halloween

Posted at 7:08 AM, Oct 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-28 07:57:10-04

ROCKFORD, Mich. -- Halloween is almost here, and that means two things: costumes and candy. Whether it’s chocolate or taffy, candy downright bad for your teeth.

But no parent wants to tell their kids they can’t have any candy during Halloween. That’s okay, according to Dr. Chas Jensen, a dentist in Rockford, as long as your kids are brushing their teeth right after eating the treats.

The word "candy" is like nails on a chalkboard to Jensen, owner of Rogue River Family Dental.

“Anything that's main ingredient is sugar is a dentist’s worst enemy,” Jensen said, so the sooner you get the sugar off your teeth, the better.

That’s because the longer sugar sits on your teeth, the quicker cavities will form.

Dr. Jensen says eating more candy in one sitting is actually better than eating that same amount over the course of a day.

“At meal time, our mouths are in a state to help protect our teeth, the way our saliva works and all of that," Jensen says. "If we’re constantly introducing candy and sugar into our mouths, our bodies are constantly in that state of a cavity-producing environment."

It’s that environment Jensen says is easy to avoid, with a little work. That means brushing your teeth for two minutes, twice a day with an electric toothbrush if you can. Try flossing at least four times a week and use fluoride.

Jensen says the worst thing you can do is eat candy and then go to sleep.

Rogue River Family Dental will be handing out candy and toothbrushes starting at 5:30 p.m. on Halloween so you can clean those teeth after eating your sweets.

They’re located on 2 N. Monroe Street in Rockford and are accepting new patients.