Everyone knows that too much sugar is bad for teeth, but forcing your child to eat Halloween celery is not really an option unless you enjoy playing the villain. Even when you try to control their sugar intake, you may be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of readily available candy on Halloween. However, if you can't ban candy, you can take steps to guard your child's teeth during this most sugary of holidays without ruining the holiday.

Candy Choice

If possible, you can stealthily go through your children's candy haul and remove certain types of treats that are more likely to cause tooth decay. Hard candies and suckers are some of the worst offenders because they keep sugar in the mouths for a long period of time. The longer sugar is working on their enamel, the more likely a filling is in your child's future. You should also get rid of the sticky candy as well. Gummy anything clings to their enamel and works to create decay. You should remove these items and replace them with less sugary choices. Do not eat the "bad" candies yourself They have the same effect on your teeth as they do your children's.

Alternatives

You don't need to ban the candy that your children get in their trick-or-treat bags, but you can help improve Halloween by giving out healthier treats to the neighborhood kids. Since you and your children are likely to consume the leftovers, this step benefits everyone's tooth health. Dentists recommend giving out dairy-based treats such as yogurt tubes or string-cheese packets instead of candy. Gum is a favorite of kids, and if you give out sugar-free xylitol-flavored brands, you won't be promoting tooth decay. In fact, you'll be helping kids clean some of the sugar off of their enamel. Chewing these gums give kids some of the benefits of a good toothbrushing. The gum will work well for you, too.  You can also find candies that contain xylitol. They are still a great treat, and they will not cause tooth problems.

You don't have to ruin Halloween to protect everyone's teeth. Simply sorting through and replacing the worst candy offenders can certainly help. In addition, hand out healthy but still fun items to your trick-or-treaters. This strategy benefits you as well since you undoubtedly will be partaking of these treats yourself. Halloween can be fun and tasty without harming your children's teeth. 

You can also schedule an appointment with a family dentistry for after Halloween so that your children can have their teeth professionally cleaned and checked on.