When candy sticks to teeth, dentists say that's the worst kind of Halloween candy for kids' teeth.
"Caramels can actually remove the sealant from your child's teeth. And you don't want that to happen because the sealants are there to put a protective layer over the teeth to prevent cavities. They also can pull crowns out," dentist Dr. Terri Alani said.
Gummy candies get into the crevices of teeth. Crackers and pretzels are starchy and also stick to teeth.
So parents the best choice are the candies like chocolate that come off the teeth easily. The candies that lead to cavities are the candies that stick to the teeth.
After eating candy, you want your children to brush unless they've eaten sour candy. Then they should wait 30 minutes to brush.
"The reason you wait 30 minutes is you want the acid to be neutralized by their saliva," Dr. Alani said.
She says it's better to eat candy during or after a meal than by itself.
And finally, the sweetest tip of all: Send your trick-or-treaters out with a full stomach.
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