They prepare for the night for months, planning, mapping, estimating. Then the big night comes when the monsters and goblins roam the streets in search of what they really want—candy! For a child, Halloween is filled with yummy treats and a lot of fun, but for a parent who is concerned about their child's dental health, this scary fun holiday can feel more like an all-out nightmare. But Halloween is not a holiday that should be filled with real fear as a parent, with a few tips and some rules, your child can get through the holiday with their teeth not looking scary at all. 

1. Set limits on how much candy your child can consume. 

When the night of scouting for trickery treats is over, the little monsters burst through the door, dump out their load of treats, and start sorting out their favorites. This is all part of the fun and there's no reason to start grabbing everything that looks bad in your eyes and delectable in theirs. However, it is best if you let your child know that they will have to limit their candy consumption and not go crazy gobbling as much as they can down as fast as possible. The more sugar your child consumes, the more of a threat there is to their teeth when the night is done. 

2. Encourage your child to drink lots of water while they munch. 

Once you have set guidelines on just how many treats your child can munch for the night, give them a bottle of water and let them know that is part of the deal. Washing the mouth out with water while consuming candy instead of a sugary soft drink or fruit juice will help eliminate as much of the sugar from the crevices between the teeth as possible. 

3. Make sure you supervise brushing for the night. 

When all the excitement is winding down and your youngster has eaten their last allowed treat for the night, go ahead and put away the candy in a safe place until the next day. Even if you normally trust your child to properly brush and rinse their teeth at night, go ahead and make an exception on Halloween night to ensure they do a good job. Give them a child-friendly mouthwash to swish around and loosen up any sticky residue before they get started brushing and flossing, and make sure they get all parts of their teeth while they brush.  

Talk to your dentist for more help.