Suckers, licorice, gummi bears, fruit snacks -- those are just a few of the sweet, chewy treats that dentists advise parents to keep out of their kids' hands (and mouths) to protect their teeth from cavities.

But what if candy could actually prevent cavities? Researchers at the Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine have developed CaviStat, a substance that neutralizes cavity-causing acids in the mouth. It's the active ingredient in BasicMints, a sticky candy that actually prevents cavities. Kids who used BasicMints once a day, in addition to brushing with flouride toothpaste, had 61.7 percent fewer cavities than kids who practiced brushing alone.

The next step is FDA approval, so don't plan on looking for BasicMints on store shelves for quite some time.