Here are 10 ways you can help your children stay mouth healthy during Halloween and year-round.

• Eat Halloween candy and other sugary foods with meals or shortly after mealtime. Saliva production increases during meals and helps cancel out acids produced by bacteria in your mouth and helps rinse away food particles.
• Avoid hard candy and other sweets that stay in your mouth for a long time. Besides how often you snack, the length of time sugary food is in your mouth plays a role in tooth decay. Unless it is a sugar-free product, candies that stay in the mouth for a long period of time subject teeth to an increased risk for tooth decay. 
• Avoid sticky candies that cling to your teeth. The stickier candies, like taffy and gummy bears, take longer to get washed away by saliva, increasing the risk for tooth decay.
• Drink more water. Drinking optimally fluoridated water can help prevent tooth decay. If you choose bottled water, look for kinds that are fluoridated. 
• Maintain a healthy diet. Your body is like a complex machine. The foods you choose as fuel and how often you "fill up" affect your general health and that of your teeth and gums. 
• Avoid beverages with added sugar such as soda, sports drinks or flavored waters. When teeth come in frequent contact with beverages that contain sugar, the risk of tooth decay is increased.
• Chew gum that has the ADA Seal. Chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after meals helps reduce tooth decay, because increased saliva flow helps wash out food and neutralize the acid produced by dental plaque bacteria. 
• Brush your teeth twice a day with an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste. Replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. A worn toothbrush won't do a good job of cleaning your teeth. 
• Clean between teeth daily with floss. Decay-causing bacteria get between teeth where toothbrush bristles can't reach. Flossing helps remove plaque and food particles from between the teeth and under the gum line.
• Visit an ADA member dentist. Regular visits to your ADA-member dentist can help prevent problems from occurring and catch those that do occur early, when they are easy to "treat."

*From the ADA.org 

Teeth are already developing in the weeks of pregnancy so that they're ready to erupt within a few months of a baby being born. Babies will start teething at around 4-7 months old, so it is important to know how to take care of your child's teeth as they start to show up. Here are a few tips for what to do at what time.

• To clean your infant's teeth, a soft moist cloth and a little rubbing are all you need to do during those first few months after teething to keep the primary teeth clean. As the baby gets a little older and more teeth come in behind the first few, start brushing with a small brush and water. This is sufficient for those 2 years old and younger.
• Take your kids to see the dentist no later than their first birthday. Your dentist will be able to check for cavities and gum problems before they develop into serious problems.
• Start flossing your child's teeth as soon as you see 2 teeth touching each other. Flossers are really handy!
• After 2 years of age, it is time to introduce fluoride toothpaste to your child. Start by using a small amount (no more than the size of a pea) and scrub your child's teeth. Teach them to spit out as much as possible to minimize swallowing it. Continue this until they're about 6 years old. They may start showing that they can brush by themselves, but make sure to brush with them and help them be thorough! 

For more information about your child's oral health, visit http://www.2min2x.org/

Did you know? About 50% of people report that the first physical trait they notice about a person is their smile!