Give children stickers or playdough instead of Halloween sweets, dental surgeons say

Children should be given stickers or playdough instead of sweets on Halloween, leading dental surgeons have said.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS) has urged children to not eat lollipops or sticky sweets in order to avoid tooth decay.

The public can hand out stickers or playdough to trick or treaters instead of sugary snacks, according to the dean of the college's dental surgery faculty.

The Royal College of Surgeons advice on Halloween treats

• Parents should not 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;
• Children should be given a new toothbrush after they finish their treats - a brush in a favourite colour or carrying a cartoon character 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.

Dr Charlotte Eckhardt 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," she said.

The RCS also highlighted that tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions among children.

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In 2023/24, some 19,381 children aged between five to nine years old in England were admitted to hospital because of tooth decay, according to NHS England data.