Give children stickers instead of sweets on Halloween - doctors
The Royal College of Surgeons wants to help more children avoid tooth decay
Children should be given stickers instead of sweets at Halloween to save their teeth, leading dental surgeons have said.
The Royal College of Surgeons of England has offered tips to help children avoid tooth decay as children prepare to collect a bounty of sweets while trick or treating.
This includes avoiding lollipops and sticky sweets.
Meanwhile, the public can do their part by handing out stickers or playdough instead of sweets, according to the college's Faculty of Dental Surgery.
Dr Charlotte Eckhardt, dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said:
"Although we don't want to be too draconian about one night of festivities, it is a good reminder that this should be regarded as an occasion and not the norm, you want to avoid sugar grazing as that's more problematic for oral health.
"One of the best things you can do is to avoid lollipops, as their prolonged consumption exposes children's teeth to sugar for longer, increasing the risk of tooth decay."
The tips issued by the faculty include:
- Parents are advised not to let their children eat all their Halloween sweets in one sitting.
- Children should avoid sweets that can get stuck to teeth.
- People who hand out treats on Halloween could offer "alternatives such as stickers or playdough".
- They should also limit the number of sweets given out to each child.
- Children should be encouraged to opt for water instead of sugary drinks at Halloween parties.
- Youngsters should be given a new toothbrush after they finish their treats, with the RCS saying that if it is in a favourite colour or carrying a cartoon character that might entice them to brush even more.
- Parents should make sure children brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste before going to bed, even if they are tired.
Stuart Garton, owner of The Dental House in Old Swan, said:
"In isolation, it can sound a little bit mean to tell kids that they can't have sweets on Halloween, but I think it's more just looking a little bit at the wider picture in that kids tend to consume far too much sugar these days - it's very readily available and it tends to be tied to rewarding children or particular events through the year such as Easter, Halloween and Christmas.
"I think trying to propose some sort of an alternative is quite a good idea, but I think more importantly, if we are going to give kids treats, it's just being aware of how often these treats are given and perhaps just trying to think of alternative treats for children as well."
The RCS pointed out that tooth decay is the leading cause for hospital admissions among children.
In 2023/24, some 19,381 children aged five to nine in England were admitted to hospital because of tooth decay according to NHS England data.