Halloween is a very scary time of year - both when it comes to ghouls and spooks, and when it comes to oral health, too!
At SmileTown Dentistry in Burnaby, we believe that balance and moderation are key at this time of year. Of course, you want your kids eating healthy foods the majority of the time, but you also want them to participate fully in all the fun of this holiday. And that includes treats and candy.
To help you achieve moderation when it comes to treats this Halloween, here are some ideas and tips for keeping your kids’ oral health in mind, while still allowing them to take part in all the Halloween fun.
Choose your candy wisely.
Oral health-wise, not all candy is created equal. Make an effort to limit gummy candies, like gummy bears and worms, since these have a way of clinging to teeth for a while.
Try to avoid or limit candy that remains in the mouth for an extended period of time, as well; for example, bubble gum and hard candies.
Limit treat consumption.
For kids, one of the most exciting parts of trick-or-treating is digging right into their hard-earned loot when they come home! There's no need to prevent them from doing this: just let them choose a handful of treats, and then ration out the remaining candy over the following weeks.
Take extra care when brushing and flossing.
Any time your kids consume more than the usual amount of sugary treats, it's a good idea to to make sure they're even more careful and thorough than usual when brushing and flossing. Monitor your kids' brushing and flossing, and make sure they carefully clean each tooth.
Provide healthy alternatives.
Candy is only one way to enjoy treats and snacks on Halloween!
There is a treasure trove of oral-health friendly, Halloween-inspired treat and snack ideas available on the internet. Here are a few of our favorites: