Halloween Candy + Health Smiles: Can the Two Co-Exist?

For the few weeks and months following Halloween, your kids will likely want to snack on their stash of hard-earned candy. It is possible to allow them to snack on it while maintaining a healthy smile. Here are a few simple ways to allow your children to enjoy candy while keeping their teeth clean.

Finding a middle ground of how much candy can be eaten is essential. Allowing them to eat their weight in candy is not good, but forbidding them to eat it turns it into a forbidden fruit. When your child returns home with their prize of candy, go through their treats to determine which ones they should keep. By involving your child in the decision process, it reinforces that overindulgence can lead to cavities and other health matters. Setting up an at-home reward program can also be beneficial. This can be done by awarding children a piece of candy when they help out around the house or exhibit good behavior.

Chocolate is the preferred type of candy (if any) due to the reason that it is less impactful on teeth, compared to chewy or hard candies. Chocolate dissolves relatively quickly and can be eaten faster, decreasing the amount of time sugar is on teeth. Try to steer your children towards chocolate candy over chewy candies.

To follow up to setting a reward system, it’s also helpful to pick a time of the day your child can enjoy a piece of candy out of their stash. Setting a designated time, such as after homework or chores have been done, gives your child something to look forward to and designates a clear reward system. This also reinforces the idea of moderation and allows you to ensure post-candy teeth care is taken care of.

Once your child has finished their candy, direct them to the sink to brush their teeth. This helps build healthy habits of brushing their teeth after eating, especially sugar-filled candy.

Children are more likely to brush their teeth when it’s fun for them. You can make teeth brushing fun by letting them pick out their toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss.