Remember, as a kid, when you would avoid a certain house, trick or treating, because you knew you’d leave with raisins or an apple or something “healthy” when you were just looking for another Twix to add to your bucket? Parents are stocking up on sweet treats, as they anticipate lots of excited, costumed kids for Halloween. Dentists are all for having fun and enjoying some sugar, but we wouldn’t be doing our dental duty without imparting important Halloween tips for keeping teeth in optimal condition. In no particular order…
- Limit the number of sweets(maybe a 3 candy limit per day)
- Avoid candies that take a long time to eat(suckers, chewy caramels, taffy, etc.) The longer it takes to eat, the more dangerous it is for the teeth.
- Find a place to donate some of the candy to a good cause!
- You don’t have to settle for raisins, but you could opt for a non-sugary treat to pass out like temporary tattoos, fidgets, stickers, bracelets and glow sticks.
- Rinse and repeat—drink even more water than normal when consuming a higher level of sugar.
Halloween is an exciting time for families—enjoy every moment—just make sure you don’t ghost your dental appointment and select candy choices that won’t come back to haunt you in the future.