Begging at your neighbour's door for food with open pillowcases is not the most difficult part of October the 31st. For me, the scariest part of Halloween is the amount of sugar my children will consume within 48 hours.
Chances are you will have at least one giant bag of sugary loot stashed in your house over the next few days, nay, weeks. So, if you are keen to curb the sugar damage on your children's teeth, you will need to read this:
1. Not all sweets are created equal
It's the twisty chewy ones that stay in their mouth the longest that do the most damage. Try to encourage your children to swap out the chewy sweets for the shorter lasting chocolate treats.
2. Time it right
Straight after a meal is the best time to eat any kind of sweet treat - that's when more saliva is produced which will help to dilute the sugary damage.
3. Add some milk
Dentists recommend adding milky products into the mix to try to minimise some of the sugary effects. Yogurt and cheese can also provide some important calcium to teeth and neutralise some of that sugar.
4. Isolate the problem
As your little monsters will be consuming the equivalent their body weight in the white stuff, it is important to keep all other sugar at bay. This week, try to be more mindful about what's in their meals. Try to cut back on sugary cereals and other hidden sugars in normal food.
5. Brush it away
Make sure your trick or treaters brush and floss more than ever. It is a good idea to check their toothbrush doesn't need replacing and perhaps book an appointment with the dentist in the coming weeks to make sure those pearly whites stay strong.
6. Confiscation
Don't be afraid to test the sweets to make sure they are ok. Choose a time when they are asleep and sit back on the sofa and test away. The children will wonder why their stash is mysteriously disappearing - if they start getting suspicious, just send them off to brush their teeth again.
Our little goblins try their best to be scary, but after a haul like ours last night, nothing will be more frightening than the speed at which they cram those huge treats into their tiny little mouths.
Happy Halloween Haul Hiding Everyone!
