Tag: healthy halloween

Healthy Halloween Alternatives

Healthy Alternatives to Handing Out Candy This Halloween

When you picture a dentist on Halloween, you probably imagine them handing out apples or toothbrushes. The fact is that most dentists don’t hand out these things when kids come to their doors on Halloween, but at the same time, you’re not going to find us handing out jawbreakers or Sour Patch Kids, even if doing so could increase our caseload!

Instead, we try to toe the line between finding a mouth-healthy alternative to candy that won’t leave kids skipping our house as word of mouth spreads about what we’re handing out. If you want to keep kids’ mouths in mind when handing out candy this year, check out these five alternatives to candy.

Straws

Odds are you can find some fun holiday-themed straws at a grocery store or dollar store in your area. From crazy, twisty straws to colored options, there are plenty of cool straws you can give away that children will find interesting.

Pencils

If you think giving away straws isn’t the best option for our planet, give away some spooky pens or pencils. If kids are going door to door, odds are they are in school and using a pen or pencil on a regular basis. You can buy a bulk package of Halloween-themed pens or pencils at a nearby dollar store or pharmacy.

Pretzels

Depending on your grocery or bulk-foods store, you may be able to find individually wrapped bags of snack-size pretzels. Pretzels or crackers are much better for your teeth than sugary options, so if you’re willing to spend a little more to protect the teeth of the neighbor kids, consider buying snack packs of pretzels or crackers.

Temporary Tattoos

Temporary tattoos are cheap, fun and a cool alternative to another Snickers bar. You may have to look online to find a big enough pack of temporary tattoos, but if you plan enough in advance, you should be able to find some cool Halloween designs in time for the holiday.

Rings

Believe it or not, one of the bigger hits in our neighborhood last year were little plastic rings that had fake spiders on them. They were cheap, looked interesting and didn’t cause any problems for teeth. Fake Dracula teeth are another option, but they can be a choking hazard for some children, so only give those out to older Trick or Treaters.

Healthy Halloween

5 Tips For A Healthy Halloween

Halloween is right around the corner, and like many holidays, it can be tough on your health. While Thanksgiving or Christmas may wage a war with your waistline, halloween can damage your teeth and gums. In today’s blog, we share five tips for having a healthy Halloween for both your mouth and your whole body.

Limit Sweets

Kids are going to eat their Halloween candy, but try to limit how much they have each day. This may be easier said than done, but limiting candy intake will prevent excess sugars from building up on their teeth. Also, make sure they don’t have candy after they’ve brushed their teeth, because any candy before bed can stick to your teeth and cause problems all through the night.

Brushing is Essential

You want to make sure that your children are brushing their teeth at least twice a day, and more power to you if you can get them to floss regularly, but brushing is even more important if they are eating more sugary snacks than normal. Set rules that if they are going to have candy, that they brush their teeth before bed.

Candy With Meals

You don’t want children to substitute candy in place of healthy meals, but according to dentists, if they are going to eat candy, it may be in your best interest to have them eat it with a meal. Whether it’s chocolate, a jawbreaker or a gummy bear, these foods can leave sugars all over our teeth surfaces. If we are eating other foods or drinking water while we’re eating candy, these other substances can help clear the sugars off our teeth. If your kids are insisting on eating candy, let them have some with lunch or dinner.

Increase Water Intake

As we alluded to in the above point, water is a great way to wash away sugar that’s left on our teeth surfaces. If your kids are going to be eating candy, encourage them to drink water to help avoid sugar buildup on their teeth. Washing it down with sugary sodas or juices is only going to make the problem worse, so encourage them to drink water when possible.

Consider Candy Alternatives

As we discussed in a different blog post, you don’t have to hand out candy this Halloween. There are plenty of fun alternatives to candy that will be both cool and protective of a child’s teeth. Things like Halloween rings, pencils, pens and tattoos are all fun sugar-free alternatives. Check out that post for more tips, and have a safe and wonderful Halloween!