Tips on Halloween Candy from your Pediatric Dentist

Halloween is just around the corner, and our kids are so excited for pumpkin carving, costumes, parties, trick-or-treating, and of course CANDY!! We want all of our kiddos to have a super fun and safe Halloween, but we also want our parents to have a game plan for managing that big bucket of candy at the end of the night. Here are some helpful tips to survive the Halloween season, while keeping your children’s teeth cavity-free.

1. HAVE FUN! Halloween is a time of year known for indulgence, and that’s okay. Make sure that you are sticking to a healthy oral hygiene routine throughout the year to better combat a sugar invasion on October 31st. Help your little ones with brushing twice a day and floss every night to maintain a happy, healthy smile.
2. CHOCOLATE OVER STICKY! Sticky candies are double-trouble because they are a high concentration of sugar AND they stick in the nooks and crannies of teeth for a long time. Chocolate has a low melting point and will melt away from the teeth much faster in the warm environment of the mouth. Help your child sort their bag of loot and eliminate all the gummy, sticky, gooey, and sour candies.
3. CANDY IS A TREAT, NOT A SNACK. Try to avoid allowing your child to snack on candy between meals. The more snacks (especially sugary ones) our children eat, the higher their risk of cavities. Candy is completely empty calories- they will provide a short term burst of energy but your child will be back asking for more snacks in no time. Instead, try pairing candy as a treat at the end of a meal. The other foods and drinks consumed at mealtime will help to dissipate the excess sugar from candy.
4. HAVE AN END GAME. Halloween is one night of the year, but our kids come home with enough candy to last them clear through until Christmas. Allow your child to enjoy their candy in moderation, but get rid of it! Do not keep the candy around for months. Consider donating candy to the troops, other organizations, or bring your excess candy to work.

The Kids Dentist wishes all our little ghosts, ghouls and goblins a very fun, safe, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!