Halloween Is Here! Consider These Tooth-Healthy Substitutes For Your Favorite Treats

Halloween has arrived! This is a holiday dedicated to spooks, spirits, and everything sweet. While gum and candy are delicious, your tooth health really does not benefit when you snack on sugary Halloween treats all week. Here are a few tooth-friendly alternatives to consider for your Halloween parties and trick-or-treat experiences.

Cheese and Pretzel Brooms

These are a super-cute addition to your Halloween party table. All you need is mozzarella cheese sticks and miniature pretzel sticks. Cut the cheese sticks in half, and then start peeling at one end. Only peel the strings about halfway down the cheese stick segment so that it looks like the head of a broom. Insert a mini pretzel stick into the other (non-peeled) end of the cheese stick. For extra fun, you can put some mustard or ranch dip next to the brooms for dipping. The cheese is good for your teeth since it's so high in calcium and vitamin D.

Orange Almonds

Instead of handing out candy at the door, give some orange almonds to trick-or-treaters. (Keep some to snack on yourself, too.) Almonds are low in sugar and actually contain a lot of vitamin E, which is important for gum health. You can make them look Halloween-themed by dying them orange. This is a lot easier than it sounds. All you need to do is mix 3- 4 drops of food coloring into 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Toss 2 cups of almonds in the oil, and then spread them out on a baking sheet. Toast for about 10 minutes at 300 degrees F. Let the almonds cool, and divide them into little baggies to hand out.

Spiders On a Log

Spiders on a log are a fun snack modeled after the more-popular ants on a log. Made with natural peanut butter and celery, they're low in sugar and high in unsaturated fats, which your body needs for healthy gums. Spread natural, no-sugar-added peanut butter into the gully in the middle of celery stalks. Then, arrange the stalks on a plate and top them with some plastic spiders from your local party store. Just make sure everyone knows that the spiders are not edible.

Your dentist will be glad that you did not over-indulge in candy this Halloween, and your teeth will thank you, too. If you do enjoy some sugary snacks, just make sure you brush your teeth afterwards to minimize the damage. For more tooth-care tips, contact a company like Alaska Dental Arts.

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