Dentists are bracing for the fallout from the annual sugar binge known as Halloween: a cavity filled with Laffy Taffy, plaque from Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and worn enamel caused by biting into Everlasting Gobstoppers.

And that's just their adult patients.

About 90 percent of parents admit to sneaking candy from their kids' trick-or-treat bags, according to the National Confectioners Association, the first misstep in a dangerously caloric holiday season.

You know it's best to avoid the sugary sweets, but that's just going to make you or your children feel deprived; then everyone might indulge even more.

Instead, minimize the damage after the event with these tips from Charles Stuart Platkin, author of "The Diet Detective's Calorie Bargain Bible" (Fireside, $13), and Chicago-area dentist Dino Mantis.

• Taffy and hard candies are the two worst treats because they stick to your teeth and take a long time to dissolve, giving bacteria more time to feed and produce cavity-causing acid, Mantis said. The longer food sits in your mouth, the more acidic the environment becomes.• Candy corn versus mini chocolate: Based on calories and fat, choose candy corn, Platkin said. Its sweetness makes it hard to gorge on more than a couple of 1-ounce packages (220 calories for two packages,) and it's virtually fat free, Platkin said. It's too easy to eat chocolate quickly, and each mini candy bar has about 45 to 80 calories. "Chocolate also has more saturated fat, but it does have antioxidants and calcium," Platkin said. So if you choose the chocolate minis, just take two or three, Platkin said.• Or, if you really need chocolate, opt for mini York Peppermint Patties, which have 50 calories and 1 gram of fat, Platkin said.

• Swap out the candy: Let your child pick a few pieces and then offer to exchange the candy for something else your child wants: a game, movie or another toy, Dino Mantis suggests. Unload candy on your office colleagues.• Freeze your chocolate for eating: Gooey, melted peanut-butter cups sink into the crevices of your teeth, attracting acid-producing bacteria. This, Mantis said, is a "match made in tooth-rotting heaven."