The holidays are no excuse to get lazy about dental care. This is especially true for Easter, which offers temptations from chocolate bunnies to multi-colored jelly beans. Below are tips on how you can help your little ones safeguard their teeth and gums — even when the Easter Bunny is hopping into town.

4 Dental Care Tips for Easter

1. Steer Clear of Sticky & Hard Candies

Candies like licorice and gummy bears get easily stuck between teeth and are tough to remove. Hard candies, on the other hand, can chip a tooth if you bite down on them. Keep these types of sweets out of kids’ hands on Easter.

2. Look for Xylitol-Sweetened Items

If your little ones can’t go without something sweet, get items with xylitol. This artificial sweetener prevents bacteria from replicating and makes plaque slippery, so it has a tougher time sticking to teeth.

3. Enjoy Non-Edible Easter Activities

Easter doesn’t have to be all about eating! Kids can paint eggs or play themed games like pin the cottontail on the bunny. Another fun idea is an egg-and-spoon relay race.

4. Limit Candy Munching Times

Limit kids sweets-eating to after mealtime. You don’t want them coating their teeth in sugar all day. They can also chew xylitol-sweetened gum between meals, which stimulates the flow of saliva — the mouth’s natural cleaning agent.

If you have more questions about how to help your child enjoy a sugar-free Easter, speak with a trusted dentist. The pediatric dentists at Pedodontic Associates in Hawaii are passionate about helping parents instill good dental care habits in their kids. Their comprehensive service offering will lay the groundwork for a beautiful smile that lasts a lifetime. Get a look at reviews from happy patients’ parents online. For an appointment with a kids’ dentist, call the location nearest you for an appointment; reach Honolulu at (808) 735-1733, Aiea at (808) 487-7933, or Kahului at (808) 877-0066).