Halloween candy, like most sugary treats, isn’t good for your smile. But we often let our guard down over the holiday season as we celebrate the closing of another year starting with Halloween. The good news, all candies aren’t equally harmful, so there are some things you can do to protect your family’s smiles while enjoying this season!
Gorging on candy isn’t a good idea even when eating tooth-friendly ones. But a little can go a long way and still soothe your holiday cravings. One way to do this is to use the fun-sized version of your favorite treats, not the family-sized ones because it helps you be mindful of how much you are consuming.
Smart Halloween Treat Choices
- Hershey’s Kisses
- Milk Duds
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Peppermint Patties
Treats to Avoid
- Tootsie Rolls
- Whoppers
- Laffy Taffy
- Caramels and candied apples
- Jolly Ranchers
You can also try these strategies to help curb your family’s intake of sweets:
-Limit consumption: If your children come home with a candy-laden pillowcase, you can give them a limit for how many they can keep, so pick a number (15-20) and then donate the remainder. Donate to a homeless shelter, local fire department, military base or even your local dentist for a candy buy back!
-Trick or treating limit: While your kids are out there trick or treating, make sure they carry a bottle of water to hydrate and keep their taste buds occupied. Again, set a limit for how many candies they can enjoy along the way so they aren’t already riding a sugar-high when they come home.
-Fill their bellies before trick or treating: Home-cooked chili or other fall favorites can help keep them from being tempted to fill their tummies with the goodies they’re still stuffing in their trick or treating bag.
-Brush and floss after eating sugary treats: Make sure they take a moment to brush and floss after eating these, and if they can’t, have them at least rinse their mouths out well.
Halloween isn’t just a one-day holiday, it’s the lead-in to the other fall festivities that center around delicious treats, including Thanksgiving and Christmas, and all the get-togethers with friends and family. This year, we hope using these tooth-friendly tips will help your family navigate the fall festivities without sacrificing their teeth in the process!
If you have any questions or concerns about your family’s oral health, please call our Valley View Dental team in Romeoville, Naperville or Montgomery, Illinois, for more information or to schedule an appointment. Their smiles will thank you!