This post was sponsored by our partners at Affiliated Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics.
Halloween is right around the corner and as enjoyable as the holiday can be, we all know we have to sensibly approach the candy with our kiddos. We’re delving into Halloween candy tips that will be helpful as you venture out for trick-or-treating next week. We are also providing information about where you can bring your leftover candy after Halloween for buy back!
Tips on how to enjoy Halloween candy + keep your children’s teeth healthy while doing it!
- Trick-or-Treat on a Full Stomach: A filling dinner prior to trick-or-treating will lead to less temptation to fill up on candy when your kid gets home
- Sticky & Sweet is a Nasty Treat: Sticky or chewy candy lingers in contact with teeth. The longer the sugar is stuck to teeth, the more time bacteria have to process that sugar and produce the destructive acid that cause tooth decay.
- Braces and Bondings Beware: Hard, sticky candies can break or dislodge braces, retainers, or bondings. Patients should avoid these treats and break candy bars or cookies into smaller pieces, rather than biting into them.
- Steer Clear: Hard candy and lollipops that you suck on for long periods of time increase your risk for decay. Long exposure time allows bacteria in the mouth to feed on those lingering sugars and turn them into acid.
- A Better Choice: Soft candy that melts in the mouth and is eaten quickly such as miniature chocolate bars, plain M&Ms, peanut butter cups and candy bars without caramel and nuts are fine. Basically, anything that isn’t hard and crunchy or soft and sticky is OK.
- Set Limits: Limit your child to a few pieces of candy each day. An important way to protect teeth from decay is to limit the frequency of eating sweets. It is always best to eat sweets with other foods, such as having the candy as dessert with dinner.
- Take it to the Bank: Set up a candy bank account and you are the banker. Kids can make withdraws twice a day.
- Out of Sight: The best place to keep candy after Halloween is out of sight and out of mind. Put it in your cupboard or closet. Anywhere out of sight so your kids won’t be constantly tempted by it.
- Clean Up: Make sure those sugary ghouls and goblins don’t stick around long after Halloween is over. Brush and floss after eating Halloween candy. Rinse with water or chew sugarless gum as an alternative if brushing isn’t an option.
- Choose Wisely: At the end of trick-or-treating, sit down with your child and sort through the candy together. Remember to select candy that melts and disappears quickly, such as chocolate and to avoid sticky, chewy candy (i.e. caramel).
Halloween Candy Buy Back Information
