Posted in Life

This post is a little late in coming, but still useful in most homes.  For years our dentist has recommended a 3-4 plan to eat holiday candy and treats filled with sugar that will save you BIG bucks in dental bills.

Normally, parents will dole out candy in small portions, stretching it over many months, so as not to have sugar overdosed children.  However, this isn't dental wise because you are constatnly raising the sugar level in your children's mouths, thus creating a friendly environment for tooth decay. 

A smarter approach is to let your children eat all they want over a short restricted period; say 3-4 days.  Once that time is over the rest of the candy goes in the garbage.  You will find that your kids will enjoy the binge, even though it may make you crazy.  This only raises the sugar level in the mouth for a few consecutive days, thus deterring tooth decay for a long time. 

I mentioned this to our peditrician, who said that it's smart health wise too.  Teaching your children that an occaisional binge related to a specific holiday gives children something to look forward to as well as remind them that it is ok to enjoy "bad food" from time to time.  She also mentioned that an occaisional planned binge deters children from developing the habit of eating treats and candy on a regular basis.

From personal experience, my kids enjoy that they can eat as much candy as they want, save breakfast for a few days.  By the end of the time period, there is always plenty to throw away and the kids are bored of the treats.  We reiterate the reason behind the tradition emphasizing the health and dental benefits. 

I can attest to the lower dental and doctor bills.  This week my 4 year old went to the dr for an earache.  Turns out he had an infection.  The doctor chuckled because in the last 12 years my children have only seen the doctor for their yearly checkup.  This prescription is only the second I have ever had to purchase for the brood.  As for the dental side, there is only one cavity amongst all my children.  Now that IS a SAVING!

These are my thoughts.