A cavity-free Halloween

I am often asked about healthy treats to pass out at Halloween. I thought I would post an updated version of a blog I wrote a couple years ago.

To remain cavity-free this Halloween, try to avoid the sticky, chewy, hard and crunchy treats. Soft and sticky candies stick to the teeth, giving the decay-causing bacteria time to decay your teeth. Hard candies dissolve slowly in your mouth, coating your teeth with sugar for a long period of time. They can also chip your teeth and cause choking in younger children.

I recently came across a candy alternative for school parties or your trick-or-treaters … involving fruit: http://underconstructionblog.typepad.com/under_construction/2010/10/halloween-fruit.html. 

Some additional ideas for Halloween candy alternatives:

• Animal crackers
• Pretzels
• Stickers or temporary tattoos
• Pencils, pens or erasers
• Small packs of crayons
• Bubbles
• Plastic jewelry
• Play-Doh
• Lip balm