The excitement of putting on costumes and trick-or-treating is over. However, kids are excited to dig through their candy bags, buckets and bowls and choose what to eat next. Just like we did, children will eliminate and avoid gross and unwanted candy.

Once you become a parent, your focus is on decayed teeth and dollar signs at the dentist. The motto “everything in moderation” applies to so many things in life, including Halloween candy.

According to a recent report, here are the most damaging candies for teeth: Jawbreakers, Jolly Ranchers, Bit-O-Honey, Starburst, Tootsie Roll, Laffy Taffy, Snickers, Fireballs, Butterfingers, Blow Pops and Milk Duds. Others that get stuck in teeth include salt water taffy, candy, gummy bears and Airheads.

It’s okay to eat candy every once in a while, but too much can destroy your teeth. Biting into hard or sticky candy can break a tooth or tear off a filling or crown. Sucking on hard candies and mints lowers the pH balance in the mouth and puts you at higher risk of cavities due to enamel erosion. If you eat too much candy regularly, tooth decay will form as the enamel erodes. Candy can get stuck in the gums and cause abscesses.

It is recommended to consume sweets after a meal, because excess saliva is produced to naturally clean the mouth. Additionally, the longer the candy is consumed, the higher the risk of cavities. Experts recommend consuming it over a period of 30 minutes. For all you chocolate lovers out there, the report notes that chocolate dissolves quickly, you swallow it, and then your saliva returns to a normal pH. Another wonderful thing about chocolate!

Of course, brushing and flossing are essential. Seems like you should do this directly after eating candy. But dentists recommend waiting 30 minutes after eating to clean your teeth. Because the acid produced temporarily weakens the enamel, brushing too early can damage the enamel when it is more sensitive. Half an hour gives your saliva time to naturally neutralize the acid and the enamel to remineralize. Brushing immediately afterwards can cause acid to work its way into your teeth, causing more damage than help. Additionally, some sugar particles may not have landed on your teeth yet. Then wait at least 30 minutes before eating again so that the normal oral flora protects your teeth and gums.

It just wouldn’t be fair to take away all the candy from the kids. Limit their access and allow them to eat it in moderation. What can you do with all that leftover candy to protect your family’s dental health? Most candy is actually good for a year. Donate it to the local senior center, food pantry, Salvation Army and other organizations, church, or freeze it. Use it as an ice cream topping, as an ingredient in baked goods, or as a trail mix. You can also give candy to American soldiers or bring it to your workplace. Some dentists have a cash-for-candy program.

I have a friend whose frugal New England parents, back in the day, would freeze some of their Halloween candy and hand it out throughout the year for trick-or-treating and holidays.

You only get one set of adult teeth. Dental health is vital to your basic health. Children should learn from a young age the importance of taking care of their teeth. The damage starts early and cannot be repaired.

All Hallow’s Eve is all about carving pumpkins, without looking like a jack-o-lantern with missing teeth. You don’t have to eliminate Halloween fun and candy to teach this lesson. And it’s not just a sleight of hand!

Take care of yourself and someone else.

Juanita Carnes is a Westfield resident and nurse practitioner with 38 years of experience in the hospital emergency department and urgent care settings. She served for 30 years on the Westfield Board of Health.