Prevent Halloween tooth decay with these handy tips

Are you concerned about tooth decay caused by kids eating too much Halloween candy? Afraid the tooth fairy will pay an unexpected visit on Halloween? Wondering what you can do to prevent tooth decay from too many Halloween goodies? Keep your kids cavity free on Halloween with these smart tooth decay prevention tips.

Limit consumption

Just because kids bring home a full bag of candy, doesn't give them license to eat the whole thing right away. Keep Halloween candy in the freezer . Limit kids to just a few pieces a day, or even a few pieces a week. This makes sense not only for preventing tooth decay but for weight gain prevention too.

Toys not sugar

Are you truly concerned about tooth decay? Consider throwing your own Halloween party. Offer some small toys as treats, instead of sugary candy. Kids may rebel from a complete lack of candy. Try to keep it to a minimum to prevent tooth decay.

Sugar free treats

Make that minimal candy sugar free to prevent tooth decay. There are many tasty varieties of sugar free candy on the market today. Consider other options such as dried fruit, punch made with real fruit juice and other healthy snacks.

Concentrate on activities

Try to make the Halloween activities so much fun that kids aren't even thinking about candy. Plan a haunted house, carnival games and even a pinata with toy prizes instead of candy. Have kids help with decorations and entertainment too.

Avoid soda pop

Candy isn't the only tooth decay culprit on holidays like Halloween. Sugary drinks, especially carbonated ones can multiply tooth decay problems. The acid in soda pop wears down tooth enamel, causing a greater risk for cavities and other dental issues.

Drink water

Teach your kids to drink water between high sugar Halloween treats. Even fruit juice shouldn't linger on teeth. It may not be possible to brush teeth after every snack when away from home. Drinking plenty of water will rinse most of the sugar from teeth.

Brush and floss often

Kids should know to brush and floss between meals and snacks. Halloween is a great time to reinforce this tooth decay prevention technique. Consider buying kids a new fun electric toothbrush for Halloween. Electric toothbrushes can help kids with developing coordination do a better job of brushing. Kids love to use them too, which means they are more likely to brush.