Keeping the Sweet Tooth Healthy during Halloween

Trick or teeth—err, treat! As Halloween approaches, your kids are probably as excited as puppies to march around the neighborhood and parade their cute spooky outfits. Who wouldn’t be, right? They just knock on a door, put on their scariest faces, and voila, a handful of sweets!

We get how much you love seeing the kids enjoy a truly fun holiday, but remember that this occasion still calls for some caution. After all, you would not want them making an early visit to the local dentist just because something went awfully wrong.

We made sure to list down helpful Halloween candy tips below to reduce the odds of any possible damage to your little ones’ teeth.

Skip the Sugary Drinks

Halloween weekend is already filled with ingesting large amounts of candy and chocolate. To limit the kids’ total sugar intake, try replacing sweet drinks with healthier ones. Your options can include green smoothies, milk, or just water. Water is excellent for balancing out the intense sugar rush and cleaning out the sugar in their mouths that may cause cavities.

Minimize Sour Candy Eating

Kids love these sweets because of their face-scrunching flavor. However, try to limit the sour candies they will be eating as the acids can destroy the tooth enamel and make way for tooth decay.

Go for Chocolate

Yay, one very easy tip to follow! Compared to other candies, chocolates are easier to clean off the teeth. And most importantly, they are much softer and easier to chew. It’s best to opt for dark chocolate since they contain less sugar than their white and milk chocolate counterparts. In terms of nutritional benefits, they are also healthier because of their many antioxidants.

Filter Their Halloween Haul

As your kids get older, it becomes easier to make them understand the importance of teeth health and that too much candy will give them a bad toothache. This makes it easier for you to filter out any dangerous sweets inside their pumpkin baskets.

Gums, lollipops, jawbreakers, and other hard candies are the ultimate red flag. They stay inside your kid’s mouth for a long time, thereby increasing the risk of tooth decay. Additionally, hard candies can chip or crack your kid’s vulnerable teeth.

Schedule the Sweet Session

Children are just meant to get all giddy over sweet treats. They love Halloween for a reason.

Since you can’t really stop them from eating at all, try to instead set fun rules on finishing their Halloween treasures. An example is allowing them to eat sweets only after they have finished a meal. You can also ask them to follow up with a glass of water, or they’ll have to wait for the next day to gobble up another batch of candies.

Visit the Dentist Regularly

Even healthy teeth need trips to the dental house. The American Dental Association recommends scheduling two visits per year, but feel free to adjust this according to your schedule and the holidays.

Conclusion

Following the tips above helps take care of your children’s teeth while enjoying the spooky season. Halloween is enjoyable, but it can also be a time for teeth education for the kids. It’s never too early to start them on this important aspect of their health.

If you are looking for an affordable dentist in Waterford, visit Dental House MI. Our services include preventive dentistry, oral surgery, dental implants, and more. Book an appointment with us today!