Halloween is a fun holiday for kids and adults alike, but many of the activities are geared toward kids. Your kids are probably pretty excited to put on a costume and collect candy from your neighbors. We all want our kids to have fun at Halloween, though not at the expense of their oral health. You don’t have to deny them candy, but there are some easy things you can do so your kids can enjoy their treats and have healthy teeth. We may be a dentist in MA, but we still love Halloween at Smile Boutique!
Here are some tips from your MA dentist to keep your kids’ teeth healthy this Halloween.
Pace Yourself
As adults, we are more capable of pacing ourselves and making things like candy last. Kids are still working on that, so parents and caregivers need to help them out. When you get home from trick-or-treating, the kids will probably be pretty excited to inspect their haul. This is a great opportunity for the adults to help sort out the candy and then move most of it to a safe place. There’s nothing wrong with letting your kids enjoy their Halloween candy, but you can let them have it a few at a time rather than all at once. It will last much longer and help them develop healthy habits and relationships with sugary foods.
Choose Alternative Treats
Treats don’t have to be just candy. No one wants to be the boring house, but there are plenty of fun things that you can hand out instead of candy. Stickers or small toys are also fun for kids to get while trick-or-treating, and they last for more than just a few seconds! You won’t get your whole neighborhood to hand out non-candy items, but if even a few houses do, it will make a difference.
Encourage Healthy Habits
Keeping up with oral hygiene will do more than anything to offset the impact of your kids eating more sugar than normal. Visit your MA dentist regularly, make sure your kids brush their teeth two times a day, and teach them to floss. Keeping up with healthy habits and oral hygiene will keep your kids healthy at Halloween and all year!
