Halloween is creepin’ up on us! While we usually advise our patients to stay away from candy, this sugar-filled holiday is an exception. Still, moderation is key to happy, healthy smiles. For your teeth’s sake, we’ve come up with some ways to lessen the consequences of too much sugar that still allow you and your kids to enjoy the day.

 

  • Avoid sugary juices and drink more water

Fruit juices, sodas, and flavored beverages are sneaky when it comes to sugar. Even if they are marketed as healthier options, they often contain more sugar than you might think! This can lead to an increased risk of tooth decay. Stick with water on Halloween and the days following. Limit your sugar to that contained in your Halloween candy.

 

  • Incorporate candy into mealtime and limit the quantity

While it’s tempting to splurge and eat all the candy at once, your teeth will thank you if you take a more disciplined approach. Maybe a piece or two can serve as dessert after meals. You produce more saliva during mealtime. So having a piece of candy afterwards means there’s more of it to help wash the candy down. Plus, candy lasts a long time, so there’s no risk of it going bad quickly, and you’ll have more days to look forward to a special treat!

 

  • Be conscious of what kind of candy you are consuming

Do you tend to like candies like Charleston Chews or Now and Laters? Sticky candy hangs onto teeth much longer and is harder to wash down with saliva or water. Likewise, hard candy breaks down more slowly, so teeth are exposed to sugar for a longer time period. Try to eat less of these.

 

  • Consider donating candy

Sit down with your kids and go through your candy stash. Ask them to pick out some candy to share with people who didn’t get to trick or treat this year. There are many organizations that take candy donations to send to troops overseas as part of care packages. Check out this great list from Mommy Poppins for inspiration!

 

Lastly, it’s always important to brush and floss twice a day. But, this is especially true for a holiday like Halloween! Don’t forget to brush for two minutes in the morning and before bed.

 

Happy Halloween!

Don’t forget to enter our Halloween contest if you haven’t already! Click here to learn how you can win a $50 Gift Card to Velocity Air Sports!