(Santa Fe) - The New Mexico Department of Health urges children and their parents to keep their Halloween not just fun but healthy!

"It's important to use moderation when it comes to eating candy and other sweets," said Department of Health Cabinet Secretary, Retta Ward, MPH. "Making good choices will keep your kids healthy and strong."

The Department of Health's Office of Oral Health recommends the following tips for healthy teeth:

• After the children get back from trick or treating or a party, parents should go through the candy and help them pick the treats that they want and donate the rest of the candy to a food bank or turn it in to your local dentist.
• Set a time with your children when to eat the candy and monitor how much they eat at a time.
• After they eat their treats encourage them to brush and floss their teeth and drink plenty of water.
• Promote healthy eating during or after the Halloween event, eat more fruits and vegetables, drink tap water.
• All family members should see a dentist every six months.

"This is an opportunity for parents to talk to their children about eating healthy and promoting good oral hygiene practices that will lead to healthy teeth," said Office of Oral Health Program Director, Rudy Blea. "Parents and children can decide together the amount of candy to keep and eat. The message isn't that candy is bad, but that candy and other sweets in excess can lead to cavities and other poor health conditions."

For more information, visit http://nmhealth.org/about/phd/hsb/ooh/