HALLOWEEN IS A GOOD TIME TO TALK TO KIDS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF SUGAR
-Delta Dental Offers Parents Tips to Keep the Candy Craze Under Control This Halloween-

PARSIPPANY, NJ (September 26, 2006) – It is more likely that poor daily nutrition and bad oral health habits will cause long-term oral health damage, compared to a few weeks of eating Halloween candy. However, Halloween does offer parents the opportunity to talk to their children about the dangers of sugar and the importance of maintaining good oral health all year round.

Scott Navarro, D.D.S., dental director, Delta Dental of New Jersey, and a national oral health advisor for the Delta Dental Plans Association, stresses that talking about oral health with your children does not have to be a long, dull conversation.

"To get the point across to kids, start with reassurance that sugar is okay - in moderation," said Dr. Navarro. "Brushing teeth after meals or at least twice a day, flossing and visiting the dentist regularly is far more important to preventing tooth decay than avoiding Halloween candy or popular food items altogether."

Oral health experts long ago identified sugar as the monster behind tooth decay and cavities. If not removed by brushing or some other means, naturally occurring bacteria in the human mouth form a colorless, sticky film called plaque. Cavity-causing organisms within plaque feed on sugar and turn it into acid. This acid attacks tooth enamel and causes tooth decay.

Popular Halloween treats include bite-sized chocolate-peanut-caramel bars, individually wrapped peanut butter cups and single servings of gummy bears. According to the nutrition facts printed on their packaging, the amount of sugar in these confections is 8.5 grams, 10 grams and 24 grams, respectively. When compared with the sugar content of common meals and snacks, these sugar levels in candy may not sound as high.

For example, according to nutritional information published by their manufacturers, a breakfast of two frozen waffles topped with syrup, and a glass of orange juice serves up approximately 65 grams of sugar. A packet of two frosted strawberry toaster pastries has 34 grams of sugar, while a fruit punch-flavored juice box contains 24 grams of sugar.

"Unlike the sugars in Halloween candy, the sugars in everyday foods get a chance to feed the cavity-causing bacteria far longer and more often than just one time a year - which makes practicing good oral hygiene every day essential to preventing cavities and tooth decay," said Dr. Navarro.

The American Dental Association offers a hands-on activity to show children how decay can spread through a tooth and visually explains why oral hygiene is so important:

Make a one-inch-deep hole in the side of an apple. Put it in a paper bag and set it aside for a few days. Cut through the place where the hole was made and have the children view the effect of decay.

Delta Dental offers some tips for parents to keep the candy craze under control this Halloween:

• As a general rule, it is recommended to eat candy and sugary sweets as dessert after a meal, because the mouth creates more saliva during meals to help wash away decay-causing acids from teeth.
• If snacking is too tempting, then children should brush their teeth after eating candy or chew sugarless gum to stimulate saliva.
• Keep candy consumption in check during the school day by limiting their lunchtime snack to one piece of candy.
• Before they head out to trick-or-treat, give kids a new toothbrush and some flavored floss to reinforce the message of good oral health.
• Set up a candy bank, allowing children to make daily withdrawals to help monitor their candy consumption.

About Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc.
Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc., is New Jersey’s and Connecticut's leading dental benefits carrier, providing coverage to more than one million people through contracts with employers in New Jersey and Connecticut. The Delta Dental system offers seamless dental benefits administration for employer groups throughout the country and the largest network of credentialed dentists in the nation. For more information visit us on the Web at www.deltadentalnj.com