Candy and Halloween naturally go together like peanut butter and jelly. There's nothing wrong with treating yourself to some sweet treats as the witching hour approaches - or letting your kids have some treats. However, it's just as important to be mindful of proper oral care after eating Halloween candy. Below, we take a moment to offer some oral care tips to keep in mind this Halloween season.

Watch the Hard Candy

Lollipops and other candy that tends to be hard on teeth should be minimized or avoided as much as possible. Hard candy can result in a dental emergency if a tooth is chipped or damaged in some other way. At the very least, use caution when enjoying a few pieces of hard candy.

Sticky and Sweet Treats Should Be Minimized, Too

Caramel goodies and similar treats are potentially risky because they tend to stick around after being consumed. This could lead to cavities later on. Minimize this risk by reminding your kids to brush and floss properly after enjoying some treats of this nature.

Chewing Gum Is A-Okay

Chewing gum is generally acceptable, and it increases saliva production. This is beneficial because it naturally rinses your mouth out, which is an excellent way to eliminate excess residue and food particles. In turn, this reduces the risk of having cavities and other dental issues. Your kids are also welcome to enjoy dairy products that include organic milk and similar treats.

Inspect Your Kids' Candy

You should normally inspect your children's candy for safety reasons. However, when discussing dental health, you want to look for any candy we mentioned that's best enjoyed in small amounts. For safety purposes, look for anything that may have been tampered with - be especially mindful of loose wrappers.

Offer Health Swaps for Your Kids

You can't control what treats your child gets when trick-or-treating. What you can do, though, is swap some of the sugary snacks for fruit, veggies, granola bars, and other healthy snack options. If prepared right, there are plenty of foods that can be delicious, nutritious and appealing to kids.

Limit Candy Intake

Kids don't have much self-control, which isn't surprising to any parent. For this reason, limiting candy consumption is best after your kids get back from trick-or-treating. For instance, you might remind your kids to wait until they have a healthy meal before enjoying a little bit of candy as a treat.

Have a Healthy Halloween Party

Lastly, one other thing you can do to keep your kids' teeth healthy this Halloween season is have a family party where you serve healthy snack alternatives like the foods we've mentioned. You can also get creative with oranges made into pumpkin shapes and bananas mashed up to look like ghosts.

Call Us Today

Smiles by Hay is the dental care location for all your oral care needs throughout the year. Feel free to schedule a dental checkup if you believe your kids may have overdone it with Halloween candy. We also encourage routine checkups regardless of whether or not there are current issues with your kids' teeth. Call today to set up your appointment.