Halloween is a big deal in the lives of many children in America. As the calendar approaches the end of October, children’s thoughts focus primarily on costumes and candy. Protecting your child’s teeth doesn’t have to mean removing all the fun from Halloween. The following tips can help your child to enjoy their Halloween treats without the tricks that they can play on their oral health.
When choosing a costume make sure that any facial covering, mask, or prop allows your child to see and walk safely. Bring a flashlight to help avoid any tripping hazards, especially if it is a rainy night. Tripping, falling, or running into something can lead to accidental injuries, including a chipped or broken tooth or other mouth injury.
When choosing treats, keep in mind that some candy choices are better than others. The reason for this is simple. The bacteria in your mouth eat sugar and create acids. These acids eat away the enamel on teeth. The longer sugars stay on the teeth, the more cavity-producing acids are formed. Sticky candies such as licorice, caramels, taffy, and gummies are some of the worst for the mouth because they stick to the grooves in your teeth and linger in your mouth longer. Some people think that snack size bags of chips, pretzels or other ultra-processed food are a “healthier” choice for Halloween treats. Remember that anything that is a sticky, simple carbohydrate can lead to tooth decay.
Hard candies are bad because they stay in the mouth for longer periods of time and can crack teeth when a child crunches down on them. Remember, there is a reason they call them jawbreakers. They can also be choking hazards for the youngest trick or treaters, so remove all round hard candy from treat bags for ages 3 and under.
Sour candies pack a double punch as they are usually coated in sugar to offset their sour taste and deliver a prominent level of destructive acid. When it comes to Halloween treats, chocolate represents one of the better candy choices. Chocolate is more easily cleaned from the teeth than sticky treats, so the bacteria have less time to do damage. Dark chocolate contains less cavity-causing sugar than semi-sweet and milk chocolate.
Halloween is just the first in a series of holidays that focus on sweets. Purchase your Halloween candy as close to the holiday as possible to reduce indulging in the weeks leading up to October 31.
It is not only important to make smart choices about the kind of candy that your child ingests, but when your child eats it. Decide ahead of time how you’ll deal with Halloween candy and communicate the plan to your children. For example, you might explain that every time you eat any food, bacteria in your mouth create acids. Therefore, they will be able to have a couple of pieces of their candy at the end of their meal when an acid attack is already occurring, and saliva production is increased. However they will not be eating it throughout the day, Modeling healthy behavior is important because children take their cues from you, so limiting Halloween treats to meals should also apply to adults. Keep the candy out of sight and reach until mealtime. Instead of bags of candy, you might choose, and/or ask grandparents to choose an alternative treat such as glow sticks, sidewalk chalk, stickers, a small toy, or a book. You can also limit trick or treating to a few houses and then have a Halloween movie and /or game night at home. You can also set a timeline for how long their Halloween treats will be available, such as one or two weeks after Halloween, so that you’re not still distributing Halloween candy at Thanksgiving.
With all that added sugar from the candy, it is more important than ever to avoid sugary drinks like soda and sports drinks during Halloween celebrations. Make sure that your children are drinking plenty of fluoridated tap water throughout the day. When you know that Halloween parties and other activities will delay brushing, remind them to rinse with fluoridated water to rinse any leftover food particles out of the mouth and chew some sugarless gum . Chewing sugarless gum after eating also helps to remove food particles and increases the production of saliva to help neutralize acids until they return home and can brush and floss.
Remember, those spooky decay-causing bacteria thrive in between teeth and under the gumline. Make sure your children floss before they brush their teeth, to remove plaque and food that their toothbrushes cannot reach. Strategies like setting treat times, choosing safe costumes, tooth-friendly candy or alternative treats, and staying vigilant about brushing and flossing can help to make Halloween smiles that last a lifetime.
Dr. Stephen Petras
An Illinois Licensed General Dentist