The joke every Halloween is that your friendly neighborhood dentist hands out either toothbrushes, floss, or referral cards, right? Well, there’s a way to still have fun on Halloween without going too deep into sugar overload, and we’re here to help!
We’ve got a list of Halloween treats you can pass out to trick-or-treaters that are teeth-friendly while still being fun. No toothbrushes allowed!
Before we get to the list of dental-friendly treats, let’s look at some that you may want to avoid. The following items tend to interact with your pearly whites for longer periods of time – leaving them vulnerable to decay.
Halloween Treats That’ll Drive your Dentist Batty
- Lollipops – A lolly pressed against your teeth for all that time is a recipe for cavities.
- Bubble gum – If you must, go with sugar-free (but see our note below!)
- Caramel – You might as well have a lump of sugar plastered to your tooth!
- Gummy candy (especially the sour ones) – The acid in these wears down your enamel.
Fear not, though! Here are some teeth-friendly treats that are kind to your teeth.
Great Alternatives for the Candy Bowl
- Chocolate – Chocolate-lovers rejoice! Chocolate tends to rinse more quickly off teeth than the sticky/gummy stuff. Plus, dark chocolate has antioxidants and fiber!
- Individually-wrapped snacks – Think crackers, pretzels, even pureed fruit pouches. You can usually find these in bulk. If you don’t get too many trick-or-treaters this year, at least you’ll have some snacks stocked up!
- Gums, candies, and lollipops made with sugar-alternatives (not artificial sweeteners) – Glee Gum, treats made with stevia, and Zollipops are just a few we found.
- Mini bottles of water – Trick-or-treaters and their parents will thank you for providing hydration for their adventures!
- Dollar store trinkets (not quite edible but still a treat!) – Spooky spider rings, mini Slinkies, bouncy balls. Kids will get excited when they take a “prize” that stands out from all the other trick-or-treat swag.
There you have it: An easy way to make this Halloween a little less cavity-inducing. Enjoy!
