Dental Tricks for Eating Treats This Halloween

It’s finally spooky season! Here are some Halloween dental tricks, so your little ones can have fun without terrifying their teeth.

Pumpkin carving, scary movies and frightful costumes are some of the many reasons to enjoy All Hallows’ Eve. For children, trick-or-treating sparks the most excitement as they dress up as spooky characters and trail the neighbouring streets searching for sweets.

As dentists, we understand this day can be a worrying time for parents. It’s tricky: You want them to have fun but are also concerned about what the sugar may do to their teeth.

A few things can be done to mitigate the damage and keep their mouths healthy and protected. For instance, sugar-free sweets, yoghurt-covered nuts and dark chocolate are all fantastic alternatives. But, if these treats don’t satisfy your little ones’ sugar cravings, you don’t need to spoil the seasonal festivities. Here are a few Halloween dental tricks from Corner House Dental in Norwich to ensure your children have fun without terrifying their teeth.

Be mindful that not all treats are the same. The longer the sugars from these treats linger in the mouth, the more damage they will do to the teeth. For example, hard-boiled sweets take more time to chew, so expose the teeth to sugar for longer. These types of sweets also have the potential to break teeth, so it is best to give them a miss.

Sticky and ‘gummy’ sweets should also be on your avoid list. These sweets are terrible for oral health, as they are more likely to stick to the teeth. We want our saliva to work its magic and wash the sugars away. If the sweets are sticky, this gives cavity-causing bacteria more time to cause damage.

Let’s not forget candy apples. Candy apples are a seasonal staple you should steer clear of this Halloween. Apples on their own get a double thumbs up from us, as they’re great at scrubbing off plaque and cleaning the teeth. But once they’re coated in chocolate or toffee, this sweet snack can lead to tooth decay or remove fillings.

What Should You Choose Instead?

Chocolate! Foil-covered chocolate pumpkins or ghosts are your best bet. Chocolate is a softer option and is less likely to get stuck on the teeth, allowing the saliva to work its magic. Dark chocolate is even better as it has less sugar than milk chocolate.

Make sure your children eat sweets as a dessert after dinner. Eating a full meal boosts the amount of saliva flowing in the mouth. That’s why we advise having a sweet treat after dinner to protect tooth enamel and reduce the risk of decay.

A spooky, savoury feast can keep the festive fun alive. It should also fill your children up, making them less likely to overindulge in sweets after. The Good Housekeeping and Pinterest hold a bounty of delicious Halloween-inspired recipes online.

We love this creepy, crunchy carrot fingers and beetroot hummus recipe from Tesco. Raw carrots are great for your teeth and overall health. High in keratin and Vitamin A, carrots can blast plaque build-up and strengthen enamel.

Water is vital for protecting teeth this Halloween. After a sweet treat, drinking a glass of water rinses the mouth and stops sugar from eroding the teeth.

Remember: You are still in control.

Moderation is key for protecting your children’s teeth without spoiling all the fun. You can take control of the situation in many ways. This can be as simple as limiting the number of houses you choose to visit when trick-or-treating. You may select a smaller-sized bucket or bag for your child to fill up. In doing so, the bucket looks full, but they consume fewer sweets. Swapping sweets for other rewards, such as stickers or bubbles, can also reduce consumption.

Make Sure They Brush Their Teeth.

Supervise your little ones while they brush their teeth. We recommended fluoride toothpaste and brushing for at least two minutes.

Some people believe brushing their teeth right after consuming sugary treats is best. However, sugary foods are highly acidic and tend to soften tooth enamel. Brushing away at the soft enamel often causes more damage to the teeth than good. That’s why it’s best to wait at least an hour after eating sweets before brushing for bedtime.

Changing the appearance of your teeth has become a significant final step in completing the Halloween look. Content creators have also upped the frightful makeup benchmark with the rise in TikTok tutorials. However, dentists have recently witnessed an increase in emergency dental appointments on Halloween due to people not using the correct products. When applying cosmetic makeup or fangs to the teeth, it’s essential to use products specifically designed for the mouth.

Top tip: Instead of black eyeliner to create a missing tooth look, we recommend tooth blackout wax. Blackout wax peels off easily and won’t stain the teeth.

A warning for teenagers and adults: Some TikTok videos have suggested supergluing fake vampire fangs to your teeth. Doing so can damage your tooth enamel. Superglue is also a toxic substance that irritates the gums and can cause the nerves inside the tooth to die. If the nerves die, you may need root canal treatment. Hence, if you apply fangs to your teeth this Halloween, please use a denture adhesive that is easy to wash off.

Final Thoughts:

Halloween is only one day of the year, so try not to worry too much. We hope these simple Halloween dental tricks allow your children to have fun without scaring their teeth. A few sweet treats after dinner washed down with a glass of water ensures their teeth stay protected. And above all, have a happy Halloween from us!

We provide friendly and high-quality dental service five days a week, from Monday-Friday. If you cannot make it to us during the week, we are also open on Saturday, by appointment only.

If you’d like to get in touch with our helpful reception team, call us on 01603 621613. Or, click here if you’d prefer to contact us online.