This year, before your Baby Sharks, Stranger Things characters and Fionas are ready to rush out the door the second Trick or Treating starts, establish some ground rules. Since every parent knows their kids are going to sneakily pop candy in their mouths while they run door to door, have some prior agreement.
Here are 13 quick tips for maintaining teeth despite the proliferation of Halloween candy:
Dr. Shelley Shearer
Beware of Bacteria
The true news is that it’s really not the candy itself that causes tooth decay. It’s the bacteria that develops due to the sugar. Bacteria enjoys sugar as much as your child adores candy. Unfortunately, the bacteria produces the erosive acids that cause tooth decay, cavities and gum disease. When kids know this, they tend to be a bit more cautious.
2. Hide the Candy
Parents should have some control over when the candy is consumed to prevent dental disasters, over consumption and mouths full of bacteria. When the goodies are out of sight, you help limit temptation.
3. Have a Plan
Some families have started a tradition of donating candy. They select their favorite treats from Halloween night to keep at home and donate the rest to a charity, orphanage or other non-profit that deals with kids. It’s a win for everyone; your kids learn valuable lessons in sharing, they consume less sugar and those who are needy may have a Halloween to remember.
4. Agree on the Best Time to Consume Candy
Let’s face it: we all stockpiled candy when we were kids. We’d hide in the basement or behind the garage and indulge in our stash. We didn’t even think about at least washing the sugar away with some gulps of water. How about negotiating with the kids the best times to eat their candy haul?
Some families allow kids to pick out two items for their lunch box and additional pieces for after-dinner dessert. There’s a good reason to eat candy after a meal. Since saliva production increases during meals, it helps eliminate the acids produced by bacteria in the mouth and rinse away food particles.
5. Maintain a Healthy Diet
As tempting as it may be, eating candy is no substitution for a meal. The nutrients from a balanced diet help keep the body, gums and teeth strong. Parents can make a deal; kids eat portions of vegetables and other nutritious food offerings, and Halloween candy can be their dessert. The worst thing you can do is swipe a Snickers from a candy bowl for a mid-day snack and let the sugar linger in your mouth until tooth brushing time. Try to avoid those sweet snacks.
6. Drink Lots of Water
We always want to be hydrated to have a healthy body. Water is also a Halloween necessity. When you are hydrated you have plenty of saliva to wash away all that harmful bacteria lingering in your mouth from the sugar. The best way to deal with Halloween candy sugar is to drink water, rinse and repeat. Maybe you can even sing it as a jingle with the kids. If “Baby Shark, doo, doo, doo doo” can become a hit, why not “drink, rinse, repeat…”
7. Stay Away from Sugary Beverages
This includes soda, sports drinks and flavored waters. When teeth come in frequent contact with beverages that contain sugar, the risk of tooth decay is increased.
8. Crack Down on Hard Candy
Avoid candy that stays in your mouth for a long time. The length of time it stays in your mouth plays a role in tooth decay. Also, biting down on hard candy can lead to a disaster such as a cracked tooth.
9. Avoid Sticky Situations
Be picky if it’s sticky! Sticky candies cling to your teeth. The stickier candies, like taffy, caramel and gummy bears, take longer to get washed away by saliva, increasing the risk for tooth decay.
10. Praise Chocolate
Chocolate is probably your best dental-friendly treat, which is helpful since it’s also one of the most popular kinds of candy handed out on Halloween. Chocolate is one of the better candies because it washes off your teeth easier than other types of treats. Dark chocolate also has less sugar than milk chocolate.
11. Chew Gum
According to the American Dental Association chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after meals helps reduce tooth decay, because increased saliva flow helps wash out food and neutralize the acid produced by bacteria. You might even want to think about giving sugarless gum out as a treat instead of candy,
12. Brush Twice a Day
Dentists can’t say this enough. Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste. Remember, replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. A worn toothbrush won’t do a good job of cleaning your teeth.
13. Clean Between Your Teeth
You knew this one was coming. Floss your teeth once a day. Decay-causing bacteria get between teeth where toothbrush bristles can’t reach. Flossing helps remove plaque and food particles from between the teeth and under the gum line.
Wishing all Northern Kentucky families a safe and tooth-healthy Halloween.
Dr. Shelley Shearer is a graduate of the University of Louisville Dental School and Founder of Shearer Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Florence, the largest all-female dental practice in Northern Kentucky.
