Easter Without The Chocolate With River Practice


easter without chocolate
Easter Sunday is fast approaching and that means one thing, chocolate! Or does it?
Tooth decay is a problem. Figures show the problem for five to nine-year-olds is costing the NHS over 130 thousand pounds every year.
Children continue to face oral health problems and it is clear that things need to change.
Now Easter is just around the corner, this is a great time to think of new and exciting ideas for kids to enjoy without the sugar – and it’s easier than you think!
Here at River Practice in Cornwall, we’ve come up with some simple activities and treats to keep your children’s teeth happy and prevent tooth decay this Easter.

River Practice’s top tips this Easter…

Teach your child about the meaning of Easter
This is a great chance for your child to learn all about events and holidays throughout the year and why we celebrate them.
Here are a few facts you can tell your child this Easter…

  • It is a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ
  • Easter is always celebrated on the first Sunday between 22nd March and 25th April
  • Rabbits and Hares were symbols of fertility
  • Painting Easter eggs is traditionally known as pysanka
  • In folklore, the Easter bunny is a hare and lays eggs – real rabbits don’t lay eggs!

Here’s a fun animation of the meaning of this celebration, if they want to find out more!

Get creative with Easter crafts
Get messy and enjoy making crafts together. Get all of the children involved in egg painting, making costumes or baking healthy alternatives in the kitchen!
You could also have fun together decorating the home with ‘Happy Easter’ signs and bunny bunting! This provides hours of entertainment and will definitely keep their mind off the chocolate.
Watch how to make bunny bunting below…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FitHzR6G1cI
Easter themed books
You would be amazed at the range of books available, including ones perfect for spring! Find stories that will engage and teach your child something new about animals and more. It could be a great bedtime treat, to end the day on a high.
Easter hunt
This is a tough one without chocolate! You could grab some tiny chick decorations and hide them around the house. The one who collects the most will win a small piece of chocolate!
Carrots
Make use of carrots, a bunny’s favourite food! Hide them, create snacks from them or make a pretty Easter basket filled with the crunchy vegetable.
A chance to learn and be active
There are so many wonderful things that come with Easter – flowers, bunnies, lambs and sunshine!
Now is the perfect time to visit a farm or garden where you can meet furry friends, while having lots of fun together by exploring.
Hopefully, the weather is going to get better! It’s time to get out and about to enjoy the wonderful coastal paths Cornwall has to offer. Don’t forget to look out for flowers and animals on your adventures.
Also keep an eye on events happening in your local area on social media, this way you can get out the house and get involved in the community with fun activities the whole family can enjoy.
Have a party
Invite family and friends over to enjoy an afternoon of fun and games – hopefully the weather is nice so you can relax in the garden with loved ones. The children will be happy enough with crafts and games in the sunshine!
Check out these awesome 3D paper eggs! Perfect for hanging indoors.

Also, why not provide a buffet of tasty healthy snacks – this way the kids won’t be craving sugary treats!
A little chocolate
We can’t say avoid chocolate completely, so just a little bit of the sweet treat will be ok. It is advised to give children treats after dinner and then wait half an hour to brush their teeth.
Chocolate contains a lot of sugar, which can cause problems with your oral health. If sugar is left on the surface of the tooth, this can create a build up of plaque and over time this can lead to tooth decay.
Too much chocolate at Easter should definitely be avoided!
Meaningful gifts
Why not swap the chocolate egg for a new book or a toy – this will last a lot longer than chocolate, that’s for sure!
Take a look at these awesome ideas we found on Pinterest!



Tips to stay on top of your child’s oral health…

Cut down on sugar
Thinking of alternative sugary snacks is a great way to reduce your child’s intake. Small changes make all the difference – for example, think about putting vegetables and hummus in a lunch box rather than a chocolate bar.
Brush teeth twice a day
Use fluoride toothpaste twice a day to brush your child’s teeth, while also flossing and using an interdental brush daily.
Watch below, a great video to show your children the simple ways they can prevent tooth decay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy8JurvYlH4
Give them responsibility
As your child gets older, allow them to take responsibility of their own oral health. Supervise your child as they brush their teeth, this way they will understand the importance of this daily routine while also getting into a healthy habit.
Visit the dentist regularly
Your dentist will let you know how often you need to take your child to have a check up. They can identify if there are any problems and decide on the best treatment moving forward.

Contact River Practice

Here at River Practice in Cornwall, we are a family friendly specialist centre offering a wide range of treatment and services.
Tamsin is our paediatric specialist with great experience in treating children, so you can be assured your child will feel comfortable when in need of a specialist in paediatric dentistry.
River Practice is popular for orthodontics, offering a wide range of treatments to straighten teeth, providing treatment for people of all ages.
Don’t forget, our hygienist, Ali is also on hand to offer brushing and advice on oral health while also answering any questions you may have.
Take a look at her ‘Ask Ali’ series below!

Contact River Practice today for more information.
Show these engaging videos to your child below, and continue to build upon their understanding of oral health!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CphwvDiMjxw

Happy Easter! Send us your creations on our Facebook page – we’d love to see them.

You may also be interested in this blog post: Tips For Looking After Your Child’s Teeth | River Practice