Halloween Survival Tips From Your Dentist

Source: FIU’s Center for Children and Families

We love dreaming up new healthy ways for families to enjoy Halloween. But let’s face it.

Candy is part of the season. Kids are encouraged to trick or treat at school, at local community events, and then door-to-door. It can be great fun.

However, if you’re not careful, your child might eat their own weight in candy (not fun). Too much candy can be a nightmare for your child’s dental health.

There are smarter ways to celebrate, and you don’t have to ban trick-or-treating for your kids. Here are our tips for navigating the frightful Halloween season:

Bad Versus Better Candy. The worst candies are sticky and gummy varieties because they are harder to clean away from teeth. Also, be careful with hard candies as they can actually break a tooth. Chocolate, and in particular dark chocolate, can be a safer choice. In addition there are several nut and fruit bars on the market which are lower in sugar than most candy. Just be sure to check the ingredients on the label. Avoid extra sugar, overly processed foods, and chemicals.

Healthy Snack Choices. The bacteria in our mouths consume the sugar in sweet treats and release acid, which can lead to tooth decay. A small amount of candy at Halloween may be fine, but there are many smart alternatives – fresh fruit likes apples and oranges, nuts, and veggies like carrots or sugar snap peas. Halloween is also a great time to prepare healthy treats with your kids. For example, try devilishly decorated deviled eggs, blood orange punch, pumpkin pancakes, or healthy Halloween cookies.

Brushing and Flossing. Halloween provides an opportunity to remind kids about the importance of brushing and flossing. The goal is to minimize damage to teeth that can be caused by sugar. If your kids eat candy, be sure that they brush and floss to remove any buildup of food particles and sugar from their teeth and gums. Our yearround advice is to brush twice daily and floss once daily. Teach your kids these habits to help avoid future cavities and gum disease.

Switch-Witchery. The Switch Witch is similar to the Tooth Fairy but for Halloween. It works like this: After all the trick-or-treating is done (and your kids have enjoyed some of their candy,) everyone gets ready for a visit from the Switch Witch. The friendly Witch pays a visit after bedtime and switches out bags of candy for a prize. The more candy a kid sets aside for the Witch, the better their prize will be. Be sure to tell your kids the story of the Switch Witch before Halloween so that they look forward to her arrival.

Our final bit of advice is to have fun, be safe, and be healthy. Oh, and say hello to the Switch Witch if you see her. Our final bit of advice is to have fun, be safe, and be healthy. Oh, and say hello to the Switch Witch if you see her. After have fun, wear a mask. k

Dr. Ted Herrmann and Assure A Smile have served South Florida for over 30 years, helping to guide patients to better oral health for life. We are a family friendly dentist, offering a full range of quality dental care, such as routine cleanings, crowns, Invisalign clear braces and more. We encourage a unique holistic approach to healthy teeth and gums. We invite you to call us today and schedule an appointment.

Assure A Smile 9220 SW 72nd Street, Suite 205, Miami, FL 33173 Phone 305-274-0047 www.AssureASmile.com

Even though Halloween may look a little different this year for many families, there are still ways to make the most of popular seasonal traditions, like costumes, spooky decor and festive treats.

Rather than venturing out to look for a costume, get creative at home with everyday craft supplies and delivery boxes to make unique, low-cost costumes – or “boxtumes.” Not only are boxtumes a simple way to save money by upcycling delivery boxes you’ve accumulated, but making them can be a fun activity for the whole family.

Your creations can be as simple or elaborate as you’d like. Turn an everyday hero into a Halloween superhero this year with a DIY Fire Truck Boxtume, or make it a duo costume perfect for siblings by adding a DIY Fire Hydrant Boxtume to match. With Amazon Prime’s fast, free shipping, any crafting supplies or candy you may need – and the box for your DIY creation – could be just one order away.

Share your upcycled box creations on social media using #Boxtumes, and find more inspiration and simple how-to guides at amazon.com/ boxtumes2020. Members can also extend their spooktacular fun with Halloween-themed movies, books and music available through Amazon Prime’s entertainment benefits.

Projects courtesy of Michelle Nhu

• boxes, variety of sizes • Scissors • Paint brushes • Red acrylic paint • White acrylic paint • Gray acrylic paint • Hot glue • Hot glue gun • Markers, variety of colors (optional)

Have your child sit in different size boxes to find one that fits comfortably. Save other boxes for later.

Using scissors, cut out top and bottom of box to create truck shape.

Using reserved boxes and scissors, cut out two ladders, six medium circles and six smaller circles for wheels, rectangles for front and back windshields, six small squares for windows and equipment doors, four circles for headlights and seven thin rectangles for grill.

Using paint brush, paint large box mostly red or get creative and use separate paint brushes to paint white stripes down sides of box and half of front gray for grill. Then paint ladders, grill pieces and medium wheel circles black. Paint small wheel circles and equipment doors gray and windows and lights white.

Once paint dries, use hot glue and glue gun to adhere each piece tofire truck as desired. Use markers to outline windows and add dots to small wheel circles and equipment door handles, if desired.

• 2 boxes • Scissors • Hot glue • Hot glue gun • 3 empty tape rolls • 1 cotton headband • Red acrylic paint • Black acrylic paint • Paint brushes • Blue pants or skirt • Blue tulle (optional) • Blue felt pieces (optional)

Select box that fits around your child’s torso.

Using scissors, cut box into eight equal-sized rectangles.

Assemble rectangles vertically into octagon and glue together using hot glue and glue gun.

Using scissors, cut holes for arms on two sides of octagon. Glue two empty tape rolls to outside of arm holes and one on front to mimic nut on fire hydrant.

On flat piece of another box, draw dome shape that will fit your child’s head. Use scissors to cut it out then glue bottom to stretchy, cotton headband.

Using paint brush, paint cardboard pieces red. Use separate brush to paint black stripes on corners of octagon.

Once paint dries, boxtume is complete. On blue pants or skirt meant to mimic water, glue pieces of blue tulle and blue felt pieces to look like water droplets, if desired. k

Families First ofrece clases gratuitas para padres de niños de 0 a 3 años en distintas localidades del condado de Miami-Dade, en ingles y en español.

Patrocinado por The Children’s Trust, nuestro programa ofrece la oportunidad de aprender de los expertos de la Universidad de Miami sobre el desarrollo de los niños y la disciplina positiva.

• Comprender el lenguaje de su bebé • Contribuir al desarrollo de su bebé ¡Llévate a casa artículos de bebé GRATIS! Conoce a otros padres!

• Construir vínculos positivos con su niño • Promover el desarrollo socio-emocional de su niño • Usar la disciplina positiva para establecer límites eficaces • Manejar las separaciones y reuniones

¡Recibirá artículos GRATIS relacionados a los temas presentados!

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For over 30 years, Assure A Smile has been the leading dental care provider to all of South Florida. Our holistic dentistry is led by Dr. Ted Herrmann and based in Miami, Florida. Assure A Smile’s mission is to ensure healthy teeth and gums for life!

Payment plans and financing available