Did you carve a pumpkin this year? How about help your little ones pick out the perfect costumes? These Halloween pastimes make this holiday extra special, but they pale in comparison to trick-or-treating.

The excitement of collecting candy is all about smiles, laughter, and unforgettable memories, but the long lasting effects of sugary candy can leave a lifelong impact on your child’s smile and dental health. The last thing you want is for that terrifying and temporary monster mouth to become the reality for your kids.

So, how can they have their candy and eat it too while maintaining a healthy smile? We have some tips for you!

1. Have a Meeting with Your Kids Before Pumpkin Day

Kids love the adventure of collecting candy, but the night doesn’t have to be about consuming handfuls of candy. Take the time to explain to your kids that sugar can cause serious damage to their teeth. While kids aren’t always the best at self-control, they sure can tell which candies are their favorite.

So, let your kids make a list of which candies are their favorite and discuss how many sweet treats are appropriate in one night.

This will help you sort out kids’ candy later and give your kids an expectation of how many sweets they can indulge in.

2. Pare Back the Bounty After Trick-or-Treating

If your kids made a list of their favorite candies, you can sort out some of their faves and donate the rest. Kids don’t tend to notice a reduction in candy when they see their favorites.

You can also ration the number of candies they can eat by keeping their candies in a designated candy bowl, only putting a few out at a time.

3. Promote Healthy Snacks and Eliminate Other Sugary Snacks

When you’re packing your son or daughter’s lunch, do you include a sweet treat? If so, replace that with a piece of fruit or eliminate until the Halloween Candy has disappeared. You can make healthier options more appealing by making them more fun. Try carrots and celery with peanut butter and nuts or raisins to dunk them in.

You can also reduce sugar intake and increase dental health by replacing juice and sugary drinks with water.

4. Kids Love Gum-Let Them Chew Away!

Sugarfree gum after meals and candy can actually cut down on tartar, plaque, and tooth decay. Let your little ones enjoy sugarless gum as a candy alternative and after meals.

5. Stick to the Basics to Avoid that Monster Mouth!

Flossing, brushing, and regular cleanings are a great idea all year-round. This doesn’t change after Halloween. Keep track of your kids’ dental routine and establish a reward system for when they stick to it.

Does your little one claim to be allergic to brushing or flossing? We can help! We love teaching kids how to care for their teeth while having fun.

Trick-or-Treat, Healthy Teeth!

Your kids don’t have to be sugar vampires to enjoy the fun of Halloween. Follow these guidelines and check out more tips and tricks that are a treat for your teeth before setting out Halloween night.

If you need help encouraging your kids to do the brushing hula or make fun flossing faces, we would love to help! Give us a call to make appointments for the whole family to have boo-tiful smiles this Halloween!

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