Halloween is upon us, cooler weather is in the air and the first thought of many children is how much candy they will receive on Halloween. This fun filled holiday is exciting for children and adults alike. It’s the one time of year you can dress in exciting and unique costumes and indulge in sweet treats. While it is important to enjoy the holiday to the fullest, you will also want to take care of your teeth. Here are common tips that will help you and your children, savor every bite of your sweet treats and have good dental hygiene.

Sort Out the Candy

Pour the entire contents from the bag of candy you and your children received while trick-or-treating onto the table. Pick out and save the healthier types of treats. Healthy treat options are cereal bars, pretzels, fruit and granola bars.

Choose the Best Candy to Eat

The best candy’s to choose are sugar-free gum, lollipops and other types of sugar-free candy. The artificial sweeteners in the candy stimulate saliva and helps neutralize acids from the bacteria in plaque, which are harmful to tooth enamel. Other candy that is recommended is chocolate candy such as kisses and chocolate bars. Chocolate dissolves quickly in your mouth and reduces the amount of time the sugar sits on your teeth. Dark chocolate is especially healthy due to its antioxidant properties.

Avoid Certain Types of Candy

Sour candy should be avoided due to its high acidity levels that cause erosion of tooth enamel. Although hard candy is flavorful, when chewed they can chip or break your teeth or when dissolved in your mouth slowly it can cause tooth decay due to the long exposure to your teeth. Chewy and sticky candy such as caramels and taffy can get stuck in teeth and in between the crevices of teeth, making it difficult to remove. This sticky candy can cause tooth decay in between teeth.

Limit the Candy

Limit the portion size. Maybe eat two morsels of chocolate twice a week. Maintain portion control for your children also, possibly allow them to enjoy a sugar-free lollipop once a week. If you find that you have an abundance of candy that is too much for you and your family, try donating it to your local food bank. If you feel that you can’t part with the candy, freeze them in plastic zip lock bags for future consumption in moderation throughout the year.

Take Care of Your Teeth

After enjoying Halloween candy, encourage your children to brush and floss to remove sugary residue left behind by the candy. Adults should do the same and also use a mouthwash.

Finding a balance between enjoying your Halloween to the fullest and properly caring for your teeth is easy to do with these common tips. Remember to enjoy treats in moderation, brush, floss and use mouthwash after consuming sweet treats, develop good dental hygiene and visit your dentist for regular check-ups. Enjoy your Halloween festivities!