MINNEAPOLIS — On the day after trick-or-treating, your kids are probably still picking out their favorites from their Halloween haul.
However, some of that candy is worse for your kids' teeth than others.
Sour candies and gummies are the offenders that pediatric dentist Adena Borodkin says could potentially erode enamel.
"If you start to create an acidic environment in your mouth and you leech the mineral from that enamel layer then you can also damage the enamel and that increases your risk of decay," Borodkin said.
If you just can't help yourself, though, Dr. Borodkin suggests not letting such candy linger for too long.
"If you're going to do those, eat the candy, limit the time it's in your mouth, don't suck on it and prolong it," she said.
Your little princes and princesses could also be at risk of losing their crowns.
"The culprits are usually the really sticky candies, so Starbursts, Tootsie Rolls, those kind of things," Borodkin said. "They pull off stainless steel crowns which some kids have because they had a larger cavity on a baby tooth. So I've actually had them come to the office with the crown in the Starburst.
This isn't about taking the fun out of the treat fest, it's about thinking smart about what you indulge in.
"If you can pick, it's always healthier to choose the chocolate or M&M's chocolate bars that kind of thing over the really sticky, chewy things like that."