Halloween candy giving expected to increase this year

If current trends hold, kids across the nation can expect a good Halloween.

Households giving out candy will be up this year while parents eating their kids' Halloween candy will take a steep nosedive, according to a new nationwide analysis by Delta Dental Plans Association (DDPA), a group that pays keen attention to details and trends around candy consumption.

Candy giving increase

According to the analysis, candy giving will be up five percent this year. In 2013, 73 percent of parents gave out candy. Based onthe new 2015 Delta Dental survey, 78 percent of parents say they'll hand out candy this year.

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Less parental looting 

In 2013, nearly 80 percent of parents admitted to eating some of their kids' Halloween candy. This year marks a sharp decrease with only 66 percent of parents saying they'll pilfer from the Halloween haul. Moms are more likely than dads (seven percent vs. 61 percent) to raid their child's Halloween candy. 

Bad news for chocolate lovers

While chocolate continues to top the charts this year as the most handed-out Halloween candy, 14 percent fewer parents say they'll be giving it to trick-or-treaters. In 2013, 73 percent of parents gave out chocolate on Halloween. This year that number has dropped to 59 percent.

Fewer household rules on candy consumption

The number of parents limiting the amount of Halloween candy their child can eat at a time has decreased by 28 percent from 89 percent in 2013, to 61 percent this year, according to the analysis.

Continue to Page 2 for tips to provide kids and parents ...

On the heels of the analysis, Delta Dental also released some quick tips to combatting sugar consumption you can provide to patients:

• Eat dinner before trick-or-treating. If children have full bellies, they may be less likely to overindulge in candy when they get home.

• Enjoy Halloween candy after a meal to take advantage of increased saliva production and help wash away sugar and bacteria left by candy.

• Make sure children drink extra water to stay hydrated during trick-or-treating and to help wash away sugar that may otherwise cause tooth decay.

• Remind children to brush for two minutes and floss after they dig into their trick-or-treat bags. Practicing good oral hygiene will help keep their mouths clean and their teeth free of decay.

For more Halloween information, visit Delta Dental's Tricky Treats page.

Survey: 31% of U.S. parents say kids missed school due to dental problems