halloween treats

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN; the time of black cats and carved pumpkins, the time of ghouls and goblins, the time of costumes, parades, and parties. It’s time for all of those things, and it’s also a great time for healthy Halloween snacks!

It’s No Trick! Treat Yourself To These Healthy Snacks

Here are a few Healthy Halloween snack ideas that are also good for oral health and braces.

1. Finger sandwiches. Freeze your bread and then cut it with a cookie cutter into Halloween figures. Use soft and healthy spreads like peanut butter and jelly, hummus, or guacamole. Guacamole makes a great green Frankenstein on an open faced sandwich.
2. Cheese cut-outs. Those Halloween cookie cutters work great on cheese slices too!
3. Banana ghosts. Banana ghosts on a stick are so easy to make. Simply peel a banana, cut it in half, and add chocolate chips for a mouth and eyes!
4. Tangerine pumpkins. Clementine tangerines are so easy to peel. Then add a snap pea pumpkin stem for a bit of color.
5. Watermelon monster. Why carve a pumpkin when you can carve a watermelon? Your watermelon monster will make a great centerpiece for a spooky fruit platter.
6. Apple slice mouths. Tiny marshmallows make great teeth between apple lips. Use peanut butter to hold the marshmallow teeth in place.
7. Strawberry faces. Dip strawberries in either yogurt or white chocolate to make funny faces. Chocolate chips, sprinkles, and grape bits can be used to accessorize.
8. Frozen pops. Why eat candy corn when you can have a giant frozen pop with white yogurt, orange juice, and pineapple juice. Yum!
9. Scary deviled eggs. Hummus can be used to make a brown center for spiders. Black olives can be used to make spider legs. Or you can make egg eyeballs with an olive center. Add a little red pepper for a scary bloodshot look.

Have A Healthy Halloween!

Halloween is a time of creativity and fun. So get creative and bring on the healthy treats!

It’s time for oral health and a great time for wishing you a Happy Halloween!

Gorczyca Orthodontics, 5201 Deer Valley Road, Suite 1A, Antioch, California 925-757-9000.

Top image by Flickr user Scott McLeod used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

HERE IT COMES! The season of ghosts, ghouls, witches, and, of course… candy! If you’re savvy about it, there’s no reason for your Halloween fun to come at the expense of your dental health.

FIRST OF ALL we’d like to very strongly urge all of our patients in braces to check the forbidden-foods list. We don’t want to see anyone coming in for braces repairs thanks to a candied apple, or chewy taffy. Don’t take these tips as an endorsement to eat foods that can hurt your teeth and braces.

Secondly, whether you’re in braces right now, or you’re finished with treatment, keep these tips in mind as this Halloween season approaches, to keep your teeth happy and healthy.

Rule 1: A Little Candy All At Once Is Better Than Candy All Day Long

When it comes to your oral health, if you must have some candy, a little “candy-binge” is better than grazing on that Halloween loot all day long (or all month long!). Our mouths are always working to restore optimal pH balance and to utilize our saliva to cleanse our smiles. So enjoy your candy once, and then brush and floss.

Rule 2: Keep Eating Good, Healthy Meals

Continue eating three nutritious, square meals a day. This has two purposes. First, being full of good food will make you less likely to indulge too much in unhealthy candy. Second, eating a little candy with a meal continues to stimulate saliva production, and helps your mouth clean itself and restore a good balance.

Rule 3: There’s Bad Candy... And There’s Worse Candy

Some candies are more harmful than others. The biggest bad candies you need to watch out for are:

• Sour ones, which are loaded with acid.
• Chewy ones that stick on and between your teeth for a long time.
• Hard ones, like suckers, that rest on your teeth for long periods of time—and can crack or chip teeth.

Chocolate Can Be A Less Harmful Choice

On the other hand, most chocolates, especially dark chocolates, may be better for your teeth than those listed above. Chocolate dissolves quickly and doesn’t linger as long on your teeth.

Contrary to popular belief, not all dentists hand out toothbrushes and floss at Halloween. Over half say that they give out candy. And of those who give out candy, about 80% of them choose to hand out chocolate over other candies.

If You Have A Little Extra Time...

Of course, there are some fun non-candy options for Halloween treats, too. You can check some of them out by clicking here.

Have A Happy Halloween!

Call us at Gorczyca Orthodontics (925) 757-9000 in Antioch, California for a free orthodontic exam. Visit us at www.clubbraces.com to learn more about our orthodontic practice, customer service team, and teeth.

Here’s to a safe and healthy Halloween.