Halloween is just five days away and we can expect candies, candies and more candies whether we are children or adults.

We all know that sweets are not good for our teeth and will cause cavities, but it's heartbreaking to deny children the fun.

Bearing this in mind Body & Soul asked dentist Christopher Allington of Positive Image Dental, for some advice.

Q: What treats are the most appropriate for children at Halloween?

A: It is difficult to answer this question because the best answer is anything sugar free. To my knowledge there are very few of these candies, so this is not a very useful answer. However it is easy to identify the worst offenders. Anything that will be in the mouth for a long time, such as sugared lollipops, mints, sugared gum or sucking candy are bad because they stay in contact with the teeth for a long time. Anything sticky like toffee, taffy, gummy bears, or fruit roll-up type candy is bad because they stick to the teeth and don't wash off easily.

If we had to come up with good candy it would be things that dissolve in the mouth and do not stick to teeth. Chocolate would be good, pure chocolate being the best, and chewable sugar candies, as they do not tend to stick. Chewable sour candies are among the best because they may increase saliva production which will help reduce the amount of time the sugar is in contact with the teeth.

Q: Is there any truth to the notion that children aged five and under should have fewer sweets than older children in one sitting? Will this have any impact on the development of cavities?

A: This is a difficult question to answer as a dentist because there are other health factors to consider when talking about young children. Strictly from a tooth perspective, there is no difference between the amounts of candy eaten between the age groups. If a two and a five-year-old eat candy for five minutes, the amount of tooth decay activity will be the same. If, however, you give a two and a five-year-old the same chocolate bar and the two-year-old takes ten minutes to eat it and the five-year-old takes one minute, then the two-year-old has a lot more time for cavity activity to develop.

Q: Can you get a cavity from eating too much candy on Halloween night alone?

A: No. Cavities are formed through repeated exposure to sugars. After we eat, the mouth has a limited ability to self cleanse through saliva flow and tongue and muscle activity. If you look at it from the perspective of getting a cavity or not, if you are determined to eat all your candy, eating it all in one sitting then brushing right away is the least likely way to get a cavity. The most likely way is to snack on candy repeatedly many times a day. The same holds true for drinking soda. If you drink it all at once there is limited time for a cavity to form, but if you sip on it all day, there is a lot more time for tooth decay to take place.

It's okay to eat Halloween candy. What is important to consider is how to minimise your risk of cavities. Try to eat candy with meals. The teeth are self-cleansed more with eating healthier foods and the saliva that is stimulated will buffer the effects of acid, caused by the action of the sugar on the tooth enamel.

Children who are old enough should eat sugar free gum after eating candy. Parents should not allow children to eat sugared gum at all even if they get it for Halloween. Children should brush as soon as they can after eating candy, bush twice a day and floss once.

All children over the age of one should see the dentist every six months to catch small problems before they cause pain and are more difficult to treat.