Trick or treat, make sure you brush your teeth

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - It’s the day after Halloween and the only thing on some children’s minds is sorting through the candy they collected, but those treats can play a major trick on your child’s teeth if parents aren’t careful.

One way to ensure your trick-or-treater’s teeth are staying healthy is to start with good brushing habits.

Dentists recommend brushing twice a day for at least two minutes.

Some tips to make sure your child is brushing long enough is to set a timer or have them sing the ABC song twice.

“The big thing is making sure we’re getting all the surfaces, the biting surfaces. We recommend a 45% angel into the gum sulcus, trying to get all the food debris and everything out,” said Jamie Holsworth, a dental hygienist at Dakota Dental 4 Kids.

Holsworth adds that parents should try to make sure their child avoids candies that are hard and sticky like Airheads, Skittles, and Starbursts.

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