OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Christina Pruitt of All Smiles Dentistry in Dundee doesn’t even have to go to work to see how much people love candy.
“I see it in my own children,” she said. “Between trunk-or-treat and school parties and Halloween itself, it feels like a nonstop candy onslaught.”
She knows it’s very tempting to indulge, and that a lot of people tend to overdo it this time of year.
“Grazing from the [candy] bowl all day long, that’s where people tend to get into trouble,” she said.
That trouble can come in the form of cavities — if eaters don't brush their teeth after indulging. Pruitt also said there are a handful of candies that can damage teeth, such as Gobstoppers.
For kids, cutting back can be especially difficult, Pruitt recommends parents moderate how much they eat.
“Having a snack or candy treat with a meal is probably a better thing than having it on your teeth throughout the day all day long,” she said. “Don’t give them access to the bag for days on end, maybe a day and then call it.”
Pruitt said distracting kids with other forms of goodies, also doesn’t hurt. She suggested trading in some of the Halloween candy for toys kids can find at places like Target.
“Sweeten the pot a little bit so the kids are more willing to let go of some of it,” she said.
Pruitt recommended alternatives like sugar-free gum with xylitol.
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