Ah, the gluttonous holiday is upon us once again.

I actually love Halloween so don't think this will be another Halloween guilt trip from your dentist. I met my wife on Halloween at a costume party. She had borrowed a fireman's outfit from a friend of hers that was a fireman. He had a size 44 waist and she was a tall skinny girl. She had to wear suspenders to keep them from falling down. When she walked in the door I fell in love. The only problem was that my costume was so good that she didn't recognize me a week later on campus.

So I'm torn between my love for Halloween and my hate for cavities. (I also love candy which causes me constant inner turmoil). But, I have found that you can live with candy by following some simple rules.

Rule #1: Don't eat it in between meals. I remember the all day candy marathons as a kid in the days following Halloween. Candy will not damage your teeth any more than a normal meal if you eat it with meals. So if you take your kids candy and only allow them to eat a little after each meal until it is gone, it will be better for their teeth than if they are snacking on it daily for two weeks. One other idea is to allow them to eat as much of it as they want on Halloween and then take the rest away. Brush their teeth right after they finish gorging. Their physician might not like this idea and it might make them sick, but it will be better for their teeth than snacking on it for two weeks. This rule also applies to soda, juice, tic-tacs and anything else that has sugar in it.

Rule #2: Fluoride, Fluoride, Fluoride. It wouldn't be a bad idea to plan their regular checkup before Halloween and ask for fluoride varnish. Recent studies show that children that have a few fluoride varnish applications on their baby teeth are much less likely to get cavities. Fluoride toothpaste and children's fluoride mouthwash are important as well.

Rule #3: Brush and floss. Duh! This hasn't changed much has it? If you just have to have that piece of candy in between meals and brushing is not convenient, carry some sugarless gum with you to use. The minimum is twice daily for brushing and once daily for floss. Kids under the age of 8 will need help brushing and flossing from their parents. They don't have the coordination to do a good job on their own.

Have fun this Halloween and be safe. Bring your Halloween candy in this Saturday November 1 from 10am to 1pm and I'll buy it for $1 per pound. Like I said, I love candy. Please, minors under 18 need to be accompanied by an adult.

Come meet me at our Halloween candy buy back at Almeida Aesthetic Dental Center, 8683 E. Lincoln Ave. Suite 200 in Lone Tree or call me at 303-858-9000.