Myths about Halloween Treats can be Tricky to Dispel

Tales of rotting teeth and sugar highs from Halloween candy are often exaggerated, Medical College of Georgia dentists and nurses say.

“When it comes to kids’ teeth, the problem is not just the amount of sugar, but also the frequency of exposure,” says Dr. Steven Adair, chair of paediatric dentistry. “What parents need to worry about is the number of times a day their children are eating candy, not just the amount they eat at one time.”Allowing children to eat all the candy they want, within reason, as a dessert after dinner for three nights after Halloween should curtail any damage, Dr. Adair says. “Of course, they shouldn’t be allowed to eat until they’re sick. Generally, after three days, they’ve picked through most of what they want anyway. The rest can be thrown away.”Dental problems with sugary candy begin when bacteria in the mouth turn the sugar into acid, which is what causes cavities, Dr. Adair says. Some sweets, such as chocolate, contain fat that provides some protection against decay. That type of candy may not be quite as harmful – in moderation, he says. Also, when candy is eaten as a dessert, the saliva that has been produced by the meal will help buffer the acid produced by the bacteria.”Parents also need to be careful with refined carbohydrates like potato chips and white bread, because these break down into simple sugars in the mouth,” Dr. Adair says.The number one rule to follow is to make sure children are brushing their teeth regularly, especially after eating candy, with a pea-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste, he says.For kids with braces, the rules are a little stricter, says Dr. Eladio Deleon, Goldstein Chair of Orthodontics at MCG.”People wearing braces and retainers should avoid treats that are sticky, chewy, hard or crunchy,” he says.Typically, patients should avoid treats that include these ingredients, which can bend and break brackets, prolonging treatment:

• All hard candies
• All chewy candies
• Caramel
• Nuts
• Licorice
• Taffy
• Jelly beans
• Hard pretzels
• Bubblegum
• Popcorn (including un-popped kernels)
• Taco chips
• Ice

But Halloween doesn’t have to be treatless, Dr. Deleon says.”Plain chocolate candy is ok, provided the orthodontic patient remembers to brush and floss afterwards,” he says. “Bobbing for apples and eating caramel apples are not recommended for orthodontic patients either, but they can enjoy thinly sliced apples, dipped in yogurt or creamy chocolate sauce.”When it comes to supposed sugar highs from candy, there are more myths to dispel, says Dr. Saundra Turner, nurse practitioner and director of the MCG School of Nursing’s Doctorate of Nursing Practice and Nurse Practitioner programs.”When kids have nothing else on their stomach and then they eat a lot of sugary candy, it will raise their blood sugar suddenly and when it drops, they might become jittery,” she says. “But when it comes to candy, a lot of the hyperactivity comes from other sources.”For example, the artificial colouring and sodium benzoate, added as a preservative, can cause allergic reactions like hyperactivity. The caffeine in chocolate – not the sugar – can cause kids to stay awake.”Kids shouldn’t be eating candy to the exclusion of things that are good for them,” Dr. Turner says.Even more important than limiting children’s candy intake is keeping them safe while they’re collecting Halloween treats.”That should be parents’ number one concern,” says Dr. Barbara Kiernan, a paediatric nurse practitioner and an associate professor of biobehavioural nursing at MCG.The following tips can help keep kids out of danger, she says:

• Make sure all Halloween treats are wrapped. Children shouldn’t be allowed to eat things that are homemade like cupcakes or cookies.
• Don’t allow children to dig into bags while trick or treating. Wait until they get home to dump the bag out and check for any unsafe items and unwrapped candy.
• Make sure costumes are safe. They should be flame retardant, in case children rub against burning candles or open flames while trick or treating. Parents should also avoid masks that are too big and may fall and obscure children’s vision. Face-painting is a better alternative.
• Children should only trick or treat at homes where a porch light is on. They should also carry some type of artificial light – no burning candles – and be accompanied by a parent.

(Source: Jennifer Hilliard : Medical College of Georgia : October 2007)