Just about the only thing scarier than the ghosts and goblins at Halloween is the amount of candy eaten. When it comes to trick-or-treating, cavities lurk behind every front door. To help prevent Halloween fun from turning into a dental nightmare, (201) Magazine asked Bergen experts for some tooth-friendly tips. Dr. Rosalie Nguyen, of Edgewater Pediatric Dentistry, and Dr. Richard L. Bucher, who practices in Oakland, offer their advice for Halloween and beyond.

1. Avoid hard or sticky candy
When you sift through your children's Halloween candy, Dr. Nguyen recommends throwing out more than just the suspicious or damaged stuff. "You want to stay away from the candy that's rock hard or super sticky," she says. The former, like lollipops and Jolly Ranchers, can crack teeth or uproot fillings, while the latter, like Laffy Taffy, Tootsie Rolls and Starbursts, get stuck to teeth. The longer the candy sticks around, the more time it has to damage the teeth and gums.

2. Chocolate beats candy
Not only does chocolate pose less immediate danger to teeth and fillings than other types of candy, it's easier to rinse off after eating, Dr. Nguyen says. Following chocolate with a glass of milk or water can wash any lingering chocolate away from teeth easily.

3. Schedule candy time
"The frequency of eating candy is almost as important as the amount that they eat," Dr. Bucher says. "Kids can eat a lot of candy, but eating it on a regular basis during the day can be very detrimental, even if it's in small amounts."

Don't let your children graze on candy throughout the day, since that prolongs the teeth's contact with sugar. Instead, allow them candy at a specific time, ideally right after a meal. Eating a healthy meal beforehand will reduce their appetite for sweets, and eating will have increased their production of saliva, which cleans sugar off the teeth naturally.

4. Post-candy routine
After eating candy, always brush, floss and use mouthwash with fluoride. Again, Dr. Nguyen says, the key is limiting the mouth's contact with sugar. If brushing immediately isn't an option, she suggests chewing sugar-free gum, which increases saliva production and helps clean teeth.

5. Soda bad
This is more of a general tip, but don't drink too much soda. It's really a triple whammy: The sugar and carbonation both damage the teeth, while the liquid lets harmful stuff worm into every nook and cranny between the teeth.