Healthy Dental Tips for Halloween

posted by Dr. Beau Beecher, DDS on 10/1/2024 in General

When spooky season arrives, most kids have one thing on their mind: candy. Halloween is a once-a-year opportunity to accumulate a massive stash of free, sweet treats. And what parent doesn’t take a tax of a few favorite candies for themselves? Fortunately, it’s possible to get through the holiday without wreaking havoc on your teeth. In this guide, we’ll show you how.

6 Healthy Dental Tips for Halloween

Halloween’s treats don’t have to lead to a tricky time for your teeth. There are plenty of ways you can protect your dental health and still enjoy the indulgence. Use these tips to successfully survive the Halloween sugar rush.

Carefully Sort Your Candies

While you can’t control what kind of sweets end up in your child’s treat bag after a night of trick-or-treating, not all candies are created equal. Hard and sticky candies can be some of the worst for their teeth. They help the sugar cling to teeth, take longer for saliva to rinse it away, and provide more opportunity for decay to develop. Generally, chocolate is considered a better option because it dissolves more quickly.

Pace Candy Consumption

Try to limit when your child eats their candy, if possible. Instead of frequent snacking throughout the day, find specific times for them to enjoy a treat, preferably after a meal. Immediately following a meal is when your mouth is producing the most saliva, which will help quickly wash away the sugar and food particles and reduce the risk of cavities.

Brush Teeth After Eating

Properly brushing teeth twice a day is a given, but when consuming sticky and sugary candies, an extra brush afterwards isn’t a bad idea. The sooner your child brushes their teeth, the less time cavities have to begin forming. When brushing isn’t an option, rinsing their mouth with water or chewing sugar-free gum can also help reduce lingering excess sugar.

Donate a Portion of the Candy

While it might be a challenge to get your child to part with their precious Halloween treasure, there are many alternative options to unload some of it. For example, dental offices like Kimball & Beecher offer buyback programs where kids can be incentivized with a small financial reward. There are also organizations where you can donate your candy and it will be put into care packages for troops overseas.

Balance With Healthy Alternatives

Indulging in Halloween candy doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing affair. Balance their binges with foods that are healthy for your teeth. Fruits and veggies like celery, carrots, and apples provide fiber and essential vitamins, while dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese offer vital calcium to build strong teeth. It’s also beneficial to avoid stacking sugar on top of more sugar, like drinking soda or juice to wash down the candy.

Offer Candy Alternatives

We all remember the house on the block that gave out apples or tooth brushes. But if you’re an adult who has gone through some serious dental work, you probably have a better appreciation for them now. If you find the temptation is too high, consider some candy alternatives that still bring your child enjoyment. Trading it in for a toy or activity they’ve been wanting still allows the fun of trick-or-treating with the bonus of a healthy reward for the work.

Schedule an Appointment With Kimball & Beecher

After there’s nothing left from the candy stash but wrappers, it’s a good reminder to maintain regular dental appointments every six months. The team at Kimball & Beecher can not only help you with strategies to keep teeth strong, but offer preventative care and education that will help set your young ones up with healthy smiles for many years to come. 

Schedule an appointment online or give us a call at any of our locations across Iowa. In many cases we can even see you the same day!