It’s time to end the Halloween candy battle and let go of some Halloween candy guilt - dentist’s orders!

Whether your kids are trick or treating or not (contactless candy distribution is still happening!), there is already Halloween candy lining the shelves of stores and most likely finding its way into your home.  Making a plan regarding how to handle it will be unavoidable - but it doesn’t have to be a battle!

Enter Dr. Chad Evans: Co-founder of Smile Magic Family Dental in Texas (including Denton), and a father of seven. Dr. Evans has faced the same Halloween Candy dilemma as thousands of parents have across the country who want their kids to celebrate the holiday without ruining their teeth and their health.

So, what can a dentist and dad tell you about how to avoid being the bad guy and ruining Halloween without allowing the holiday to kick off weeks of cavity-causing candy binges? 

Halloween Candy Tips from a Dad/Dentist

• Do Damage Control, Not a Candy Ban: Dr. Evans loves Halloween and dressing up with his kids to go trick-or-treating. It’s okay to break some candy rules temporarily. However, trick-or-treating should be more about the experience, and less about the candy consumption. It doesn’t mean getting giant amounts of candy, and it certainly doesn’t mean that all the candy needs to be eaten. It’s all about moderation.

•  Make it a Learning Experience: Candy can be a great educational tool for children to learn about counting, choices, and sharing. Dr. Evans sets a maximum number of candy pieces the children are allowed to keep, and the rest they pass on. It’s never the wrong time to use a life moment to learn about how to make good choices and still have fun. 

• The Candy to Avoid: Some Halloween candy is just tempting fate and a trip to the dentist. Let Dr. Evans tell you what to watch out for and be careful around. (Spoiler alert: sticky, hard candies are the bad guys!)

• After the Candy: Dr. Evans recommends rinsing your mouth with water immediately after consuming candy. But most importantly, and most critically, kids should never eat candy right before bed. The most important time to brush your teeth is at nighttime so you go to bed with a clean mouth.

Smile Magic is a dental office adventure for the young and the young at heart. Each of their 12 locations throughout Texas – including four in North Texas – is a unique experience that is magical, fun, and exciting. Each and every child is treated like royalty and is provided with the individual attention and medical care that they deserve. Smile Magic accepts Medicaid, CHIP, and most PPO insurance, and every office is bi-lingual in English and Spanish. In Denton, the office is located at 3600 East McKinney Street, Denton, TX 76209. Visit www.mysmilemagic.com for more information.