With the Easter season just around the corner and all the candy that comes with it, it’s a rough time for teeth. Thankfully, the pediatric dentists at Pedodontic Associates, the best children’s oral care providers on Oahu and Maui, are here to share their top brushing tips to prevent tooth decay and stay cavity free even during the candy-filled Easter season.

Here are their recommendations to make sure your children enjoy candy and good oral health:

• Don’t Wait Until Evening: Have your kids brush their teeth an hour or so after eating their candy. Sour sweets are acidic and weaken tooth enamel, so pediatric dentists say kids should wait about 60 minutes before brushing to avoid damaging enamel, but they should definitely brush way before bedtime. Brushing soon after eating the candy will help clear the sticky stuff from their mouths before it has time to do damage.
• Swish Before Brushing: Have your kids drink and swish water before sending them off to brush. This helps neutralize some of the acid from the sugar.
• Use Soft Bristles Only: With sticky candy, it may be tempting to tell your kids to brush with a hard-bristled toothbrush. However, the best pediatric dentists say to use soft-bristled brushes only, as anything harder can damage teeth and gums, especially when it comes to kids, who have tender mouths.
• Floss Also: Brushing a minimum of twice a day is good practice, but that’s only where proper oral hygiene starts. Make sure your kids are flossing daily and even scraping their tongues, as lots of plaque-causing bacteria can collect on the tongue’s surface.

For more brushing tips and exams to make sure your kids have healthy teeth and gums, contact the expert pediatric dentists at Pedodontic Associates at one of their three offices. The number at their Aiea office is (808) 487-7933. Their Honolulu practice can be reached at (808) 735-1733. Their Kahului location’s number is (808) 877-0066. You can also visit them online to meet their team of doctors.