Halloween, Easter, Hanukah, The 4th of July - no matter the season there's always a holiday filled with sugary snacks around the corner. You don’t want to spoil the fun, but you’re probably worried about what those sweets will do to your kids' teeth. After all, sugar sticks to crevices, which can create bacteria…and cause cavities.

Here are five tricks for keeping your kids’ teeth cavity-free—now and always:

1. Timing is everything. Try to avoid letting your kids eat their treats randomly throughout the day. It’s a better idea to time it around meals—like an after meal treat. Saliva production increases during meals and helps wash away food particles. So, the sugar won’t stick around as long on the teeth and make it easier to take care of with regular brushing.
2. Be picky about the type of treats. As much as you can, try not to let kids eat hard or sticky candies. These cling to the teeth longer and are harder to remove, which makes tooth decay easier. There are also a ton of sugar-free snack options to lighten the sugar intake when you can get away with it. 
3. Have them drinks lots of fluoridated water. Water can also help wash away sugar and food particles stuck to the teeth. After they eat their treats, they can drink tap water or other fluoridated water. This can help prevent tooth decay.
4. Avoid sugary beverages. Sugar in drinks also sticks to teeth. That’s a big reason why water is the better choice. Washing candy down with a sugary beverage defeats the purpose! 
5. Brush and floss daily. Your kids should be brushing their teeth twice a day and flossing daily. This is especially important around holidays, when sugar consumption tends to be higher. The last thing you’ll want are mouths filled with cavities after all that yummy fun!

In addition, it’s important that your kids see their dentist twice a year for check-ups. Encouraging good dental hygiene habits when children are young goes a long way toward ensuring a healthy mouth as adults! Are your kids reaching the age for braces? Check out our FREE braces savings guide by clicking the image below!