Children are at a higher rick for tooth decay around Halloween because of all the wonderful sweets. A cavity is caused by the natural bacteria in your mouth that feed on sugars. The minute you eat these sweets the bacteria burn off the sugars as acids, and these acids are what cause cavities on your teeth.

The key to maintaining oral health, is the duration and frequency of how often the sweets or simple carbohydrates are consumed. You want to stay away from candies that have a prolonged exposure in your mouth, like sticky, chewy and hard candies.

Some alternatives for parents to pass out for trick-or-treaters include chocolates, tangerines, sugar-free xylitol gum, pretzels, granola and more. For hydration, we suggest handing out water bottles with an orange flavor packet and jack-o-lantern faces drawn on them. Each of these alternatives have many oral health benefits that help prevent cavities.