Trick-or-treating is a fun Halloween tradition, but if you’re not careful, it can be detrimental to your kids’ dental health. All parents should protect their children’s oral hygiene as they indulge in handfuls of sweets. Use the guide below to know what candies your children should avoid and how to keep their teeth healthy throughout this holiday. 

How to Protect Dental Health During Halloween

Candy to Avoid

While all sugar is bad for teeth, there are some types of candy that are more dangerous than others. For example, hard candy is dangerous because if kids try to bite down, it can crack their teeth. As they suck on the hard candy, it exposes the teeth to sugar for much longer than other types of candy, which can promote more bacterial growth.

Sticky candy such as caramels or taffy can get stuck in tooth crevices. They’re difficult to brush or floss away, which means that the teeth could be exposed to that sugar for hours. Both hard candy and sticky candy should be completely avoided if your child has orthodontia in their mouth such as braces, since they could break the small metal parts.

How to Protect Teeth From Sugar

You can let your kids enjoy their Halloween candy, but you should set some simple ground rules. Have them enjoy their candy just after mealtimes; their mouth produces more saliva while eating, so the saliva will be ready to clean away sugar particles more quickly. Try to balance out the addition of candy to their diet by avoiding sugary beverages. Have them stick to water rather than sugar or juice. Remind them to brush their teeth twice a day and don’t let them snack on their candy after they’ve brushed their teeth for the night.

All throughout the year, taking your child into their family dentist’s office for cleanings and oral exams is the best way to protect their teeth. An experienced dentist will monitor your child’s health and give them a head start for healthy teeth throughout adulthood. There are three convenient locations you can choose from! Visit Dental Associates of Prairie du Chien, P.C., Family Dentistry Associates of Monona and Waukon Dental online for more information and to schedule appointments.

We hope you have a very Happy Halloween!