Quick Tips for Combating the Evils of Halloween Treats
Posted on October 1, 2019 in Kid's Health
Halloween is right around the corner! While the spooky holiday is fun for kids of all ages, all of the treats can do some serious damage to teeth. Avoid the negative effects that Halloween candy can have on your children’s oral health by checking out these quick tips.
Keep teeth healthy during Halloween
It can be difficult to manage the amount of candy your kids get this time of year. Some kids collect hundreds of pieces of candy from Halloween parties or trick-or-treating. Although it may be hard to keep an eye on the incoming loot, you may be able to keep an eye on the number of treats that your child actually keeps. It’s tempting to keep all the Halloween candy around for the kids (and yourself), but your teeth will thank you if you limit the stash.
Here are three ways to keep your teeth healthy during Halloween:
- Avoid certain kinds of candy, like sticky, gummy or hard candies
- Maintain your oral health routine
- Hand out non-candy treats
Avoid certain candy to keep teeth healthy during Halloween
There are certain types of candy that you should try to steer clear of, including sticky, gummy or hard candies as they cause the most damage to teeth.
The worst candy for your teeth:
- Sticky and gummy candies: Sticky candies are hard to remove from teeth which makes it easier for cavity-causing bacteria to grow. Prevent your child from consuming sticky and gummy candies by removing them from your kids’ candy bucket.
- Hard candy: Hard candies affect your teeth in two ways. First, hard candies can break your teeth when you bite down on them. Second, hard candy is often left in the mouth for long periods of time, which keeps sugar on your teeth longer.
The better candy for your teeth:
- Chocolate: When compared to hard candy or gummies, chocolate is a better choice for your teeth. We’re not saying chocolate is good for your oral health, but it’s better than the alternatives. Fortunately, chocolate is one of the most popular candies handed out on Halloween. It’s easier to clean off your teeth because it melts away instead of sticking around.
Maintain your oral health routine during Halloween
Halloween creates temptations that often disrupt our oral health routine. Between staying out late to bowls of candy within reach, Halloween is cavity-causing season. But if you keep your oral health in check, you can keep cavities away. Limit the number of treats your kiddo eats per day and reinforce the need for good oral hygiene.
Check out these tips to maintain your oral health routine:
- Brush your teeth twice a day
- Clean between your teeth with floss once a day
- Stay away from sugary beverages
- Drink more water
- Maintain a healthy diet
Hand out non-food Halloween treats
Another way to keep candy at a minimum is to hand out non-candy options yourself. Not only does this help keep candy out of your own home, as there won’t be tempting leftovers, but it also makes trick-or-treating safer and more inclusive for the 1 in 13 children living with food allergies and intolerances. Consider participating in The Teal Pumpkin Project if you’ll have non-food options, to let others know you have food-safe options available. Check out these ideas for non-food treats.
Looking for Halloween treats that are healthy for your teeth? Click here!
*Updated October 2022