With Easter fast approaching, it would be remiss of us not to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of the Easter Bunny’s greatest temptation: chocolate.
It’s the time of the year where most people indulge in sugars and sweets. All the things that we would normally eat in moderation over the course of the year is jam-packed into a week of over-indulging.
While chocolate and hot cross buns are loaded with nasties that can mess with your teeth, it’s also important to remember that it’s okay to splurge on occasion without compromising your oral health.
So here’s four practical tips that’ll help you maintain egg-cellent teeth this Easter!
Chew on gum
Chewing gum provides many benefits for your overall oral health.
Chewing gum is a great way to promote the production of saliva in the mouth. Saliva helps to remove debris from the nooks and crannies of your teeth, and will assist in fighting the germs in your mouth, as well as bad breath.
It’s important to choose the right gum, however.
Many chewing gums are loaded with sugar, and therefore will just be as harmful as the chocolate you’ve consumed!
When selecting chewing gum, it’s important to buy a sugar-free gum (which does not take away from the flavour!). It’s also a great way to take care of your teeth until you’re able to brush them.
Drink plenty of water
You’ve heard us say it, and we’ll say it again! Drinking water does wonders for your teeth.
The cavity-causing bacteria in our mouths love to eat sugar – and the by-product is an acid that will wear away your enamel.
Drinking water throughout the day, particularly after snacking on Easter food, will wash away much of the sugary leftovers.
Other advantages of water include;
- Strengthening your teeth against tooth decay – This is through the fluoride contained in the water
- And assisting with the production of saliva in the mouth
The most important advantage, however, is that water has absolutely no calories! Unlike chocolate, over-indulging won’t damage your teeth or expand the waist-line.
Snack on something different
Similar to drinking water between snacking, it’s also beneficial to mix up your snacking in and amongst all the chocolate and hot cross buns!
Certain foods such as many fruits and vegetables are not only high in water, but assist in the production of saliva and are a great way to wash away what has been left behind on your teeth.
Chewing on an apple, celery or a carrot following a sweet indulgence will help scour some of the plaque from your teeth.
Book an appointment after Easter!
Although it’s not a necessity, a great way to ensure that your dental health is on track is to book a check up and clean after all the festivities are over!
Using our specialised tools and techniques, we’ll be able to remove any lingering plaque from your teeth to ensure your oral health for the long-haul.
Chocolate… it’s not all that bad!
Whilst we’ve spent most of this blog arguing against the over-consumption of chocolate, here’s a few notes on the benefits that chocolate will have on your teeth.
Good quality, dark chocolate with a high cocoa percentage will contain a high level of antioxidants, a high level of tannins, as well as cocoa butter – all of which help stop the build-up of plaque.
It’s also important to remember however, that your Easter eggs are unlikely to consist of the above, and instead will contain sugars and additives that you need to avoid.
When buying a good quality chocolate, it’s important to not only check the ingredients, but also purchase chocolate that has a consistency of 70% cocoa and above.
Schedule an appointment with Kooweerup Dental today for a check up and clean to maintain your dental and oral health for the long-haul!