Halloween is fun for me because I enjoy the excitement of Munchface dressing up and putting on sparkles to go from house-to-house. It's fun for her because she enjoys all of the above PLUS the sweet rewards that come with it. .. WHICH gives me mommy anxiety over two things -
1. What candy should I buy?
2. What candy should I allow Munch to eat?
I had a tooth ache the other night and it's prompted me to wonder the damage all this sugar has on her teeth AND what damage will the candy I buy do to others' teeth?
Apparently my good ol' favorite CHOCOLATE is the best candy option for the kids. Though it has a small amount of caffeine, it won't stick to their teeth and has very little (if any) artificial flavors/colors. Keep in mind though that many children have an allergy to nuts so steer clear of ALL of my favorites (like Snickers) when buying for kiddos. Some good chocolate options? KitKat or Hershey's Kisses. Wal-Mart has some other options for Halloween goodies that are festive and healthier (like mini pretzel packs, cookie packs, and fruit snacks). I am going to pick up a mixture of both chocolate (which I'm VERY happy about) and better-for-you snack packs.
As far as the WORST candies on the list, I made up a little rhyme to help me remember:
If it's chewy, sticky or hangs around,
It will make teeth turn shades of brown!
In other words CHEWY/STICKY candy like Laffy Taffy, Now-&-Later, Starburst, etc. stick to crevices in your teeth and allow bacteria to feed on them longer.
Candy like Lollipops and jawbreakers that HANG AROUND in your mouth have the same effect and should be avoided.
If you do allow your child to have the candy mentioned above (2-3 pieces after dinner is a reasonable treat), have a few apple slices to help pull the junky stuff from those hard to reach places and REMEMBER to brush their teeth before bed!
Hope this helps you know which candy options are good for keeping a pretty little smile!
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