PULSE FOR HEALTHY TEETH, THE TRICK IS IN TIMING OF THE TREATS.

So who, exactly, is ready to take the ``treats'' out of ``trick-or-treat''? Uh-huh. That's what we thought.

Halloween is a holiday adored by kids because they love to dress up, and they love to go door to door gathering candy.

So in addition to wincing at that inevitable sugar rush, parents are often equally concerned about their kid's precious teeth. There is a continuum of responses - from not caring at all to not allowing kids a single candy corn - but the bottom line is that all parents know it's a trick to keep your teeth.

``Only a real gremlin would keep kids from having candy,'' said Dr. Richard Price, a Boston-based dentist and spokesman for the American Dental Association. ``There's a way of having your cake and eating it too ... if you understand what happens with decay.''

Teeth decay when sugar drops the pH (acidic balance) in the mouth, and more specifically, in the saliva, Price said.

``Given enough time, the mouth will recover, but it's quicker for the tooth to lose minerals than regain it.''

Prolonged drawn-out sugar exposure is worse than shorter sugar bursts, because of those acid changes. The mouth, which naturally protects teeth via saliva and mineral replacement, simply needs enough time to recover.

``Saliva is your best natural defense against gum disease and tooth decay,'' said Price. ``Saliva washes food debris away; it contains natural buffering agents that neutralize acids ... and it contains phosphates and calcium from foods you eat and puts it back into the teeth.''

If you can pry a few bags of candy from your kids, take it to Wenzlaff's Hollywood Dental Care, 1777 N. Vine St., [phone] on Thursday or Friday and get a free teeth cleaning for your kids.

Here's what to do to make life tolerable for you and the kids this Halloween, according to Price.

1. Safety first. Sort through the candy and throw away stuff that isn't wrapped.

2. Avoid sticky stuff. In the world of teeth, a Hershey bar is better than a gummy bear.

3. Make a deal. Tell the kids they can can have all the candy they want in ``one fell swoop,'' and then brush their teeth. Price said it's better for them to have their fill and then brush, rather than eating one piece of candy every 10 minutes over a period of a few hours. This upsets the acid balance of the mouth for a longer period of time.

4. Brush and floss first. Have the kids brush and floss their teeth before the big candy feast. This will tackle existing plaque, which is impermeable to saliva. Plaque that is hanging around will just continue to absorb sugars and block the saliva from doing its balancing work.

5. Don't forget to spirit away a little candy for yourself!

-Linda Hutchinson

BOOKS

TEEN-AGE WAIST LAND: No more coffee, candy and hidden calories. But hey, you'll look and feel great with Kathy Kaehler's ``Teenage Fitness'' (Cliff Street Books; $25), a spiral-bound book with a 'zine attitude. Written by the ``Today Show'' fitness consultant, ``Teenage Fitness'' is packed with information on all the latest fad diets from Atkins to The Zone, as well as generous servings of good-for-you food tips and exercises to help teens take control of their fitness. It's good reading, but not all good news. She says those yummy mocha drinks are to be considered a complete meal, that pizza is fine as long as you have only one slice, and that you should never eat anything out of the carton (such as cookies) because you have no idea how many calories you're consuming. However, by physically getting up and turning the TV channel and walking the dog, you'll burn a few calories.

- Barbara De Witt 

GIVE BACK

NIGHT FOR SIGHT: While most of the little ghosts and goblins are ringing doorbells and asking for treats on Halloween night, a few will be asking for your used glasses. It's no trick. These volunteers, including Lions Club members and scout troops, will be collecting used sunglasses and prescription glasses to recycle for the needy in impoverished countries such as Mexico, Bolivia and the Philippines. Have them ready, so that others might see. For more information, contact LensCrafters stores or Lions Club locations or click on www.sightnight.org. You also can call [phone] for information.

- B.D.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) no caption (Bookcover: ``Teenage Fitness'')

(2) no caption (Smiling Jack-o-Lantern wearing reading glasses)

Box: How sweets promote tooth decay

SOURCE: American Dental Assn.