Halloween is just around the corner. Time to get ready for all the little, and not so little, trick-or-treaters. It's also time to start worrying about the effects all of that candy is going to have on your kid's teeth. Luckily, you don't have to isolate your kids from all the fun just to keep their teeth healthy. With some careful planning, your kids can enjoy Halloween, and you can protect their teeth. Here are three simple steps you can take to avoid dental problems this Halloween.

Make a Plan

Before you send your kids out trick-or-treating, sit down and create a plan. This plan should include things like the number of houses they'll go to, what to do once their candy bucket is full, and whether they should eat candy while they're out with the other trick-or-treaters. Having a plan in place will help reduce confusion later on, and can greatly reduce the amount of candy your kids bring home – especially if you limit the number of houses that they visit.

Brush the Sugar Away

Halloween is a great time to give your child a new toothbrush. Before they take off for the night, make sure you drop one in their bucket. The toothbrush will remind them that they need to care for their teeth. It will also provide them with a fresh way to get rid of the sugar that's going to collect on their teeth when they eat their treats.

Make sure your kids know that they should brush their teeth whenever they eat candy – whether they've eaten one small piece or a full candy bar. If your kids will be eating a piece of candy when they don't have a toothbrush handy, be sure to tell them to rinse their mouth out with water when they're done with their treat. Rinsing their mouth will help wash away the sugar.

Swap Out the Sweet Stuff

Once your kids get home from trick-or-treating, sit down and sort through the candy with them. This will give you the opportunity to remove candy that is absolutely bad for your kid's teeth – including hard candy, or candy that's extremely stick, such as taffy. Swap those types of candy for more healthy options, such as fruit or crackers.

Now that Halloween is just around the corner, it's time to get a plan ready to protect your kid's teeth. The tips provided here will help reduce the damaging effects of sugary candy, while still allowing your kids to enjoy trick-or-treating. To keep your kid's teeth healthy this Halloween, be sure to ask your dentist about other helpful tips.