The Halloween season is upon us! While you enjoy trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, and dressing up, don’t forget to maintain good oral health.

Spooky Halloween Candy Alternatives

If you’re thinking of handing out candy this Halloween, don’t! Keep your teeth healthy by handing out healthier treats instead. Here are some great Halloween treats to hand out to the neighborhood trick-or-treaters this year.

Gummy Bears: Gummy bears are a great option because they are soft and chewy, making them easy to chew and less likely to stick to teeth. This makes them a great choice for braces patients as well.

Sweet Tarts: These candies are also soft and sweet and are less likely to be stuck between teeth compared to many other candies. Again, they’re softer than other hard candies like Jolly Ranchers. If you do want to hand out harder candies, try individually-wrapped options like Bit-O-Honeys or Jawbusters.

Caramel Apple Pops: These are classic Halloween treats everyone enjoys. The best part is that they’re not sticky at all and are even more easily consumed than caramel apples since they don’t have a stem on end to bite off. They’re also a great alternative for braces patients who can’t eat chewy caramel apples.

Popcorn Balls: Like caramel apple pops, these are another safe alternative since popcorn is light and fluffy and won’t get stuck between teeth. You can even personalize them by adding a few sprinkles on top for extra fun. While this isn’t technically candy, there are other ways you can make Halloween special without sugary snacks. Try taking the kids to a haunted house, pumpkin patch, or other fall activity that will be fun for everyone.

Scary Halloween Dental Hygiene Tips

Trick-or-treating is stressful enough on your teeth, even without the multitude of sugary treats you’re likely to encounter. Loading up your candy bowl in advance will only increase the risk of tooth decay and cavities. Not to mention, it’s probably not a good idea to eat candy and sugary snacks any time of the day just before your dental appointment. Here are a few other dental health tips to keep in mind during your Halloween trick-or-treating adventures.

Don’t Forget to Brush & Floss!

With all the excitement surrounding this spooky holiday, it can be easy to forget about routine oral hygiene habits like brushing and flossing. However, it’s important to make sure you still brush for at least two minutes twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss at least once a day. Use an antimicrobial mouthwash to kill germs and keep your mouth fresh between brushings.

Eat Healthy

It’s also a good idea to consider eating a healthy meal or snack before heading to your local neighborhood trick-or-treat festivities. This will help keep your body from drawing energy from high-sugar foods and make you less likely to indulge in too much candy and sugar. A protein-packed snack is a great way to give your body the energy it needs without providing too many extra carbs for plaque to feed on.

Avoid Sticky Candies

These sweet treats are practically made to stick to teeth due to their sticky texture. While sugar is a major culprit in tooth decay, the bacteria in your mouth feed on the leftover food particles in your mouth, and the stickiness of the candies makes these bacteria more likely to stick to the surface of your teeth and gums.

Drink Plenty of Water

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will help wash away food particles in your mouth and dilute the acid produced by bad bacteria that contribute to tooth decay and cavities. Additionally, staying hydrated will also help prevent you from getting a dry mouth.

To know more about the dental practice, call us at (262) 886-9440 and schedule an appointment to visit the dentist in Racine, WI.