Q: With Halloween coming up, what’s your best advice for parents managing their kids’ candy intake without being the “no fun” parent?
Dr. Ahlo: You don’t have to be the candy police to protect your kids’ teeth. The biggest factor isn’t how much candy they eat, it’s how long it sits on their teeth. Sticky, chewy candies like taffy and gummies cling to enamel and feed bacteria for hours, so I always tell parents those are the ones to watch, not the chocolate.
A simple rule that works well: let kids enjoy their haul around mealtimes rather than grazing all day, since more saliva is flowing then to help rinse things away. And a quick rinse with water or a toothbrush pass an hour or two after trick-or-treating goes a long way.
Halloween is one night. It’s not going to undo good habits, so let them have fun.
Q: A lot of people don’t realize their dental insurance benefits reset at the end of the year. What should readers know about using their coverage before it’s gone?
Dr. Ahlo: This is something I bring up with patients every fall. Most PPO plans give you an annual maximum, often somewhere between $1,000 and $2,000, and that amount doesn’t roll over. If you haven’t used it, you lose it on December 31st.
I see people every January who tell me they wish they’d scheduled that crown or those extra cleanings a few months earlier, because now they’re starting over on a new deductible. If you know you need work done, or you’re due for your second cleaning of the year, don’t wait until the holidays get busy. Call and get it on the books now.
Q: What’s one dental habit you wish more of your patients would adopt, and why does it matter more than people think?
Dr. Ahlo: Flossing, without question. Brushing only cleans about 60% of your tooth surfaces, so if you’re skipping floss, you’re leaving nearly half of each tooth untouched, especially the tight contact points between teeth where cavities and gum disease love to start. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Even a quick pass once a day makes a measurable difference over time.
I’d also add that gum health matters more than people realize. It’s tied to inflammation elsewhere in the body, not just your mouth.
Q: Fall sports are in full swing — how important are mouthguards, and are the drugstore versions actually good enough?
Dr. Ahlo: Mouthguards matter a lot more than most parents think, and it’s not just for contact sports like football. I see dental trauma from basketball, soccer, even cheerleading. A boil-and-bite mouthguard from the drugstore is genuinely better than nothing, and it’s a reasonable option for a kid trying a sport for the first time. But it won’t fit as well or protect as consistently as a custom-fitted guard from our office. If your child is playing a sport regularly, the investment in a custom guard usually pays off, both in comfort so they’ll actually wear it, and in protection if there’s ever an impact.
Ready to make Comprehensive Dental part of your family’s routine? Whether it’s using up your remaining insurance benefits before they reset, getting the kids fitted for a mouthguard before their next game, or just booking that cleaning you’ve been putting off, the team at Comprehensive Dental is here to help. Call today to schedule your appointment.
Dr. Joseph K. Ahlo and Dr. Julio Espinoza are the owners of Comprehensive Dental of Central New Jersey. They are Expert Contributors for Our Robbinsville magazine.
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