Looking for a Halloween treat that’s easy on your teeth?

Today’s recipes for Black-Cherry Bats and Citrus-Orange Pumpkins won’t screw up braces, fillings or crowns. The key ingredients are natural flavored gelatin (right) and fresh fruit juice.

Each recipe makes 2 dozen treats, and all of the ingredients should be available at a well-stocked natural and organic food store.

These recipes have been adapted from The Braces Cookbook by Pamela Waterman.

Braces are no longer just a teen thing. In fact, roughly half of today’s orthodontic patients are adults.

Having lived through 4 years of mouth metal back in the day, I know how Halloween treats like caramel apples and popcorn balls can wreak havoc with just a few bites. Is it any coincidence that October is National Orthodontic Health Month?

The good news: The American Association of Orthodontists has provided the following list of best and worst Halloween treats.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warning letters to three companies that manufacture and market mouthwash products whose labels make claims about removing plaque above the gum line or promoting healthy gums.

No such benefits have been demonstrated, the FDA maintains.

Warning letters were sent to Johnson & Johnson (Listerine Total Care Anticavity Mouthwash), CVS Corp. (CVS Complete Care Anticavity Mouthwash) and Walgreen Co. (Walgreen Mouth Rinse Full Action).