Chocolate is not as bad for teeth as other sweet foods and when eaten in moderation at meal times, is less likely to cause tooth decay.

Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) says chocolate is not as bad for teeth as other sweet foods and when eaten in moderation at meal times, is less likely to cause tooth decay.

DHSV health promotion general manager Fiona Preston said studies showed chocolate was less likely to cause dental decay than other sweet foods.

"Because chocolate dissolves and is cleared from the mouth quickly, it is a better choice than other manufactured sweets," she said.

Ms Preston said tooth decay occurred when bacteria in the mouth converted sugars into an acid that attacked the tooth surface.

Some researchers believed the cocoa beans found in chocolate contained substances that helped limit the acid attack, she said.

But chocolate was still high in fat and sugar and should be consumed as an occasional treat.