Sometimes there are more important things in the world than dentistry and good oral hygiene. One of those things is the safety and well-being of our children, so we’re going to take a break from our normal dental-themed advice and commentary to offer up our top tips for keeping you and your children safe this Halloween.

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Tips for Safe Trick-or-Treating

Here are our top seven tips for safe trick-or-treating this Halloween:

1. Choose a Proper Fitting Costume – While it might be tempting to save a few dollars by handing a Halloween costume down from an older sibling, it might be worth the extra spend if the hand-me-down doesn’t fit properly. A costume should fit your little trick-or-treater properly and can put them in danger if it doesn’t: they can stumble or fall if a too-big costume gets caught up in their feet or could impair their vision and awareness if there’s a hood or mask that doesn’t fit their face or head properly.
2. Plan Your Route Ahead of Time – Knowing where you’re going ahead of time can help keep everyone safe and sound. Stick to neighbourhoods and roads that you’re already familiar with and where traffic is light and the streetlights are bright.
3. Stay with Other People – Always keep younger children in sight and if you have older kids that are planning on going out without adult accompaniment then make sure they use the buddy system. Even the most independent and adventurous kids should always have someone that goes everywhere with them just in case something unforeseen happens. If your older children have a cell phone, make sure it is fully charged and safely stored somewhere in a pocket underneath their costume when they go out.
4. Be Highly Visible – While many Halloween costumes can be bright and dazzling, even the darker and more sinister costumes should have some sort of light patches to help make sure your child can be seen by cars and other parents and trick-or-treaters. You can get some low-cost reflectors or reflective tape at a dollar or department store to help make your child visible this Halloween.
5. Be Smart & Respectful – Overall, a smart trick-or-treater is a safer trick-or-treater. Make sure your child is familiar with some basic smarts and that they’re respectful of vehicles, other trick-or-treaters, and the properties they’re trick-or-treating at. Make sure they never go inside a home they don’t know the occupants of, that they stay in well-lit areas where other people are and discourage them from cutting across lawns or doing other things that could upset the homeowner.
6. Have an Emergency Plan – Even the best-laid plans can get turned upside down in an instant. Even if you’re super confident about where your kids are going and who they’re going with, make a contingency plan that includes where everyone will meet or what number they should call if someone gets separated from the group. If you’re arranging a meetup point, make sure it is close by, well lit, in plain sight and that everyone knows where it is.
7. Check Your Candy – While it is very unusual, there have been some unfortunate incidents where candy and other treats have been tampered with and child have been hurt or made sick. Once your trick-or-treater gets back home, take a few minutes to check all their candy for signs of tampering. Any candy that is open or looks like it has been opened should immediately be thrown in the garbage and even reported to the local authorities.

 

If you follow these simple tips, you and your family should enjoy a safe and happy Halloween!

 

We Couldn’t Resist …

Okay, we just can’t stop ourselves from throwing in some dental hygiene advice!

First, your child might collect what seems to be a lifetime worth of candy and other treats, but don’t let them eat too much too fast! Sugar-hungry bacteria that naturally occur in their mouths are always ready to turn sugary candy into tooth-damaging acids.

Also, make sure that they’re extra diligent in brushing their teeth and flossing at least twice a day to make sure that those sugary treats don’t lead to unwanted cavities and gum disease!

 

If you’re looking for a family dentist to help take care of your family’s oral health, look no further than Orion Dental! With a full range of dental services and offices conveniently located in Milton and Scarborough, we can give you and your family the dental care that you need.

Call our Milton office at (905) 636 – 9770 or our Scarborough clinic at (416) 291 – 0306 to book an appointment and let’s get started!

 

P.S. Can We Ask for Your Help, Please?

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For the second year in a row, we’re holding a holiday food drive at both of our dental offices. Please help us support the North York Food Bank by bringing non-perishable foods and other helpful donations to your dentist appointments between now and December 25.

Thank you all in advance for your help in making a difference in the lives of those less fortunate this holiday season!