In less than two weeks, kids of all ages will be knocking on neighbor’s doors hollering, “Trick or treat!” They often end their night with a bucket or pillowcase filled to the brim with candy. Celebrating this holiday with delicious treats is exciting, but make sure your kids are eating the Halloween candy in a way that won’t damage their teeth. Consider these do’s and don’ts tips:

Halloween Candy Do’s

Eating Halloween candy up until Thanksgiving is part of what makes Halloween so fun! When your little one is munching on his Halloween candy (or if you steal a piece or two), you can rest assured that not all candy is horrible for your teeth. Consider these tips:

• Munch on dark chocolate if it’s part of your findings, as this has the least amount of sugar in the chocolate family.
• Parents, consider swapping your child’s candy with other Halloween goodies such as spider rings, ghost pencils, and glow-in-the-dark sticks.
• Brush your teeth after eating Halloween candy! The faster you eliminate sugar from your teeth, the less time cavities have to form.

Halloween Candy Don’ts

We don’t expect your little one to willingly throw out all of her candy just so she doesn’t get a cavity. But, there are certain precautions she can take to make sure the candy she eats doesn’t affect her teeth negatively. Consider these tips:

• If you receive hard candy, suck on the candy instead of biting it. If you crunch down on it, you can potentially crack a tooth.
• Avoid gummy or sticky candy, as these types of candy can easily situate itself between your teeth and get stuck.

How Dr. Strandburg Can Help

It’s a wise idea to schedule a cleaning appointment with Dr. Strandburg after Halloween to ensure your teeth get a good scrub! As always, these appointments are incredibly important because the equipment that Dr. Strandburg uses can clean much deeper and better than a regular toothbrush. Are you ready to make an appointment? Contact us today!