Happy Halloween: Choosing Healthy Snacks For Your Child's Teeth

26 October 2017
 Categories: Dentist, Blog


As Halloween and other holidays approach, it's important to be aware of how these holidays (and the amount of candy they bring with them) can affect your child's teeth. With preparation and proper care, you can make sure your child's dental health stays intact over the course of Halloween festivities and general holiday celebrations.

1. Schedule candy time.

Snacking on candy is a quick path to cavities. Instead of saving candy for between meal snacks or whenever a child wants something sweet, have candy with meals instead. This way, your child eats the candy when eating other foods. You produce more saliva when you;re eating a meal, and saliva helps to wash sugary residue from teeth. Also, people often brush their teeth shortly after meals, but they do not do so after snacks. 

2. Limit very harmful candies.

All candy is somewhat damaging to teeth, but some types of candy are worse than others. Taffy-like candies can leave a tacky residue on the teeth, and lollipops and hard candies are a gradual release of sugar that bathes every tooth. Limit these candies if you can. Chocolates are less harmful, and chips and salty snacks can also be a decent alternative. However, Keep in mind that no Halloween or holiday treats are good for teeth. Encourage your child to rinse out their mouth with water after enjoying a treat, and stay on top of brushing and flossing. 

3. Do more with less.

Look into ways to reduce the focus on candy and treats. For example, you enjoy the experience of trick-or-treating, so you might visit each house on your block for fun. To deal with the large amount of candy, however, you might try:

  • mailing it to military service members. 
  • giving it to a buyback program headed by your local health clinic or dentist office
  • putting most of it away in the freezer to use for special occasions or to hand out at birthday parties.
  • donating it to a food bank or homeless shelter.

To make the day fun without a huge focus on treats, you might have a Halloween party with plenty of games and prizes. You can also visit community events, like a local pumpkin patch, to play in a corn maze or do some face painting. These activities are just as fun as gathering candy, but they don't have the same dental consequences. 

For more information, contact a local pediatric dentist.


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