Children should get stickers not sweets during Halloween trick-or-treating, dentists demand

30 October 2024, 00:18

Children should be given stickers, not sweets, during Halloween trick-or-treating to protect their teeth, leading dental surgeons have argued.

Many children across the country are preparing to collect a bounty of sweets this week when they knock on neighbours' doors during the annual trick-or-treating.

But the Royal College of Surgeons of England has offered tips to help children avoid tooth decay ahead of Halloween on Thursday, including avoiding lollipops and sticky sweets.

The dentists are also calling on the public to do their part by handing out stickers or playdough instead of sweets.

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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 dental expert's top 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 their 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.
• And 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.

The RCS pointed out that tooth decay is the leading cause of 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.