Easter Candy: The best and worst for your teeth
Many will be celebrating Easter this coming weekend and with it comes an abundance of candy. Easter poses a problem to your teeth, but there are some choices that you can make that may make the holiday a bit less of an issue when it comes to tooth decay. Here are some types of candy that you may encounter this Easter.
Chocolate: As far as candy is concerned, chocolate may be the least offensive to teeth. It is easier to clean off of teeth than some other, stickier alternatives. Dark chocolate has less sugar than milk chocolate.
Hard Candy: This is a sugary choice, and ultimately sugars lead to cavities. The only things that love sugar more than your kids are the bacteria living in your mouth. These types of candies will either be sucked for a while, bathing your teeth in sugar for a long period of time, or they will be chewed, which leads to the candy getting stuck in the grooves of teeth. Neither of these are good for your teeth at all. It leads to a wealth of fuel for bacteria to produce the acids that cause tooth decay.
Sticky, Gummy Candy: Like hard candy, these types of sugary treats get stuck to teeth for a long period of time. They can also be very sour, which makes for an acidic environment. These acids weaken your enamel and make your teeth more susceptible to decay.
Sugar Free Candy: These have come a long way when if comes to flavor. Suckers and hard candies without sugar can actually be protective (especially those containing the sugar alternative xylitol) because they stimulate saliva flow.
We at CrossKeys Dental know that a candy-free Easter is near impossible. Your best bet is to set limits and try to keep from "snacking" on candy throughout the day. That type of activity will create an environment in which your teeth never get a break from the acid attack. Also be sure to drink lots of water, brush twice daily and floss each night before bed.
CrossKeys Dental is located at 110 CrossKeys Office Park in Fairport. Dr. DuPre՛ and Dr. Badali provide comprehensive family dentistry and are always welcoming new patients. Visit us at www.CrossKeysDentalFairport.com for more information.
© 2018 CrossKeys Dental in Fairport, NY by Vince Badali, DDS