With your little trick-or-treater set to start hitting the pavement in search of spooky sweets and terrifying treats this Halloween, you may be wondering which delicious delights are safe for their smiles. Here’s a few creepy candies that they should avoid for the health of their teeth and gums, and a few awesome options that are okay to indulge in!
Tricky Treats
Kids don’t always understand that certain treats are terrible for their teeth. In fact, some snacks are so scary they should be avoided altogether, so if you see them hiding in your child’s haul, don’t feel bad about tossing them in the trash. Furthermore, if it’s your responsibility to choose which candy to hand out to your own neighborhood, do your community a favor and don’t offer these options, either:
- Lollipops or other hard candies like Jolly Ranchers.
- Gummies, caramels, taffy, or anything excessively sticky or chewy.
- Chewing or bubblegum that contains sugar.
- Sour candies.
Give Me Something Good to Eat!
While the above list unfortunately may have limited the list of what’s safe for your child’s smile, the good news is that there are still have plenty of safe, delicious options available to choose from, including:
- Chocolate (with or without nuts).
- Popcorn balls.
- Sugarless gum.
- Small bags of pretzels, crispy rice treat bars, or other snacks.
- Candies that contain Xylitol instead of sugar.
Tooth-Safe Treasures
With so many children suffering from food allergies, dental problems, or undergoing orthodontic treatment that may prevent them from enjoying certain sweets, you may want to consider offering candy-free treats that are safe for everyone, including:
- Glow sticks.
- Stickers or temporary tattoos.
- Halloween themed erasers or pencils.
- Halloween squishy toys.
- Rubber balls.
- Rubber bracelets.
- Halloween themed pencils or erasers
- Trading or game cards.
- Small party favors like kazoos, whistles, parachute men, slide puzzles, and rubber stamps.
Enjoying Treats Responsibly
Once your child has successfully collected their creepy candy for the evening, be sure to establish some ghoulish guidelines for enjoying it responsibly. Your dentist recommends allowing them one sweet of their choice a day, ideally right after dinner. This will help their teeth thrive by allowing them to use the excess saliva from their meal to keep sugar from settling in their smile- but don’t let them forget to brush and floss before bedtime!
Remember, although Halloween can be a truly terrifying time for your child’s teeth, there’s no need to let scary sweets steal their glowing grin! Thus, be sure to keep an eye on their candy haul and limit their consumption of any of the dangerous delights mentioned above, and if you have any questions or concerns about their oral health, contact their dentist today!
About Dr. Brett
Dr. Lydia Brett doesn’t want your child to be scared to care for their smile, or to visit the dentist! That’s why she and the team at Wildflower Pediatric Dentistry are here to help protect their tiny teeth this Halloween with tips and tricks for trying treats and preventing their mouth from feeling macabre! To schedule a checkup and cleaning and get their ghoulish grin looking and feeling its best, visit our website or call us today at 832-409-3998.