How much Halloween candy should you let kids eat? Try the 3-Day Rule

CINCINNATI - With Halloween coming up, we're on your side with an answer to this question: how much candy do you let your children eat?

Cincinnati orthodontist Dr. Edward Wnek suggests following the Three-Day Rule.

The goal is to let your kids enjoy Halloween without causing a lot of dental problems.

The Three-Day Rule allows your trick or treaters to eat as much candy as they want on Halloween, and as much as they want, whenever they want, for two days afterward.

After that, the candy's gone, one way or the other.  Either they eat it all, or you take it away.

Sounds gross, but Dr. Wnek says the worst thing you can do is dole out small portions of candy at a time for weeks. He says the daily dose of sugar increases the bacteria in your mouth and causes decay.

With the Three-Day Rule, the bacterial count has only been raised for a short time, and can go back to normal.

Plus, you have avoided depriving your child and avoided all the nagging that goes along with deprivation. And you have allowed your child to experience overindulgence, and perhaps the discomfort that accompanies it.