Halloween means candy, there’s really no escaping it. But if you can avoid the worst of the worst, why not? So we’ve compiled a list of the worst offenders. Following are our top five.

• Sour candy. Why? Sour candy is actually worse than sweet candy because it has a double punch of sugar AND citric acid, which sticks to your teeth. It also has a high acidity content, and breaks down tooth enamel.

• Gummies. Gummy anything is just bad. Why? Simple. They stick to your teeth and hang out there for an extended period of time.

• Hard candy. Why? Sucking on hard candy (including lollipops) increases the time it’s in your mouth. Even worse, chewing them can break or crack teeth or damage dental work.

• Caramels/taffy. Why? Again, just plain sticky and they end up hanging out in your mouth too long, getting stuck in grooves and cracks, not to mention possibly yanking out a filling.

• Pixie Stix. Why? Although they dissolve quickly, they actually contain nothing but sugar, providing bacteria with an enormous feast.