With Halloween just around the corner, it’s time to think about what you’ll give visiting trick-or-treaters this year. Kids are going to be given candy at nearly every house they visit, so their parents and especially their teeth won’t mind if you don’t add any more sugar. Consider giving out Halloween candy alternatives this year to support oral health. Not only will those goodies have a longer lifespan in a child’s room than a piece of candy, but you can also rest easy knowing you aren’t contributing to any cavities. Here are suggestions from a pediatric dentist in Towson.
Why Is It Good to Pivot from Giving Away Sugary Candy?
Prolonged exposure to sugar can lead to tooth decay and cavities. It’s crucial that kids brush their teeth after eating candy to prevent plaque buildup. Otherwise, the bacteria in their mouth will feed off the sugar and produce acid that weakens their tooth enamel.
Children need to learn to consume candy in moderation instead of trying to eat it all on Halloween night. If you aren’t able to bestow this knowledge upon the kids in the neighborhood, at least you can rest easy knowing you gave them something that can’t do their teeth any harm. To give you some ideas, here are some alternatives to Halloween candy that are sure to provide frightful fun.
Pencil Top Erasers
Halloween-themed erasers will provide some fun even as November arrives. They’ll surely be proud to show the ghost or witch to their classmates.
Snack Bags
If you want to stick to snacks without supplying major sugar, you could make snack bags with non-candy treats. Pretzels, low-sugar fruit snacks, or cheese crackers are all sure to get gobbled up.
Glow Bracelets
Unfortunately, children are at the greatest risk of passing cars on Halloween night. Handing out glow-in-the-dark accessories like bracelets delivers both fun and functionality so they can stay seen and safe.
Halloween Stickers
Children have loved stickers for generations and what school notebook wouldn’t look just a little better without some Halloween flair?
Slinkies
An orange-and-black Slinky might just steal the show after kids have been collecting the same varieties of candy all night.
Glow-in-the-Dark Vampire Teeth
When a kid gets vampire teeth, they’ll have fun showing them off whether their costume is a baseball player or a fairy godmother.
There are so many non-candy goodies to give out on Halloween that it can be tough for you to choose. And you can feel good knowing you are contributing to fun instead of cavities!
About the Author
Dr. Roxanne Clarke loves helping small smiles as a pediatric dentist. She earned her dental doctorate from the University of Maryland and completed a two-year specialty program in pediatric dentistry there. Dr. Clarke is a member of the American Dental Association and a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. She’ll be happy to talk more about Halloween candy alternatives that take it easy on teeth during your child’s next checkup and cleaning. Schedule one on her website or call (443) 608-5005.