Every year around this time the team at Brinkley Dental looks forward to celebrating Halloween! It’s probably safe to say that this year, while still in the midst of a 4th wave of the pandemic, we’re likely all looking forward to an excuse to get out of the house, safely, and have a little fun. Let’s hope by the time Halloween rolls around, there will be no restrictions on the kiddos so they can take full advantage of the day! Yes – that’s right – we are a team of Dental Hygienists and Dentists in Brampton and we’re encouraging Halloween! Why not, it’s only one day a year after all. So, without further ado here are our annual suggestions for how to enjoy this “spookiest” of days, safely!
- Make sure a parent or caregiver accompanies trick or treaters on their journey. For tweens who want to “go it alone” make sure they do so with a group of friends. There’s safety in numbers!
- All costumes, no matter who or what you choose to be, should have a strip of bright reflective tape on the back or on the sleeves to help ensure visibility. For added safety, only trick or treat on one side of the street at a time – don’t dart back and forth across the road!
- Masks are something we are all getting used to wearing but masks that make it difficult to see aren’t a good idea. Consider using make-up instead of a mask to help stay safe.
- Walk – don’t run! Carry a flashlight to help light the way, especially on unfamiliar pathways leading up to front doors or where there are steps.
- No eating treats along the way! Make sure everything is checked over by an adult before consuming any treats. If it’s hard to resist the temptation – take a couple of safe treats from home and you can eat those while you go door to door.
- Carry a bottle of water with you. It fights temptation and if you do give in and eat a treat or two (approved by an adult) you can always rinse your mouth with it. Remember – sugary treats that linger on the teeth can cause bacteria, in turn causing plaque build up.
- Decide together with the adult in your house how many treats are reasonable to eat on Halloween night and then when you’ve had enough – it’s time to brush those teeth! Set your timer for a full two minutes and brush for the entire time, then make sure to rinse well also. Sticky caramel is one of the worst offenders this time of year and can linger on your teeth and gums if you don’t brush properly.
- Beware the hard candy like “jawbreakers.” They won’t literally break your jaw but you could potentially chip a tooth and while we can’t wait to see you soon, we’d prefer you didn’t have to visit because of a dental emergency.
- One last reminder: If you’re wearing braces all the same rules about what you can and can’t eat still apply Halloween or no Halloween. Sorry kids – no popcorn and best to avoid those caramels!
That’s about it for now folks. We hope you have a great AND safe Halloween and for the record, we’ve denied it before and we’ll deny it again, we don’t hand out toothbrushes at our front door! We like candy too – we just encourage everyone to be responsible about its consumption! If you ARE looking for a free toothbrush, however, consider booking a regularly scheduled dental exam and teeth cleaning with the team here at Brinkley Dental in Brampton. While you’re here, we just might be able to “hook you up” with a new toothbrush! We look forward to seeing you soon and in the meantime, as always we’ll remind you, “Don’t forget to be a BFF with your mouth and brush that smile!”
