Avoid Rotten Teeth this Easter

Everyone celebrating Easter this year will be, to some varying degree, very likely incorporating some chocolatey treats into the festivities.  With all that is going on, it becomes easy to feel a bit too lenient with the amount of chocolate your children are consuming. Although they’ll be enjoying it in the moment, their teeth won’t be thanking them in the messy aftermath! Stay conscious of just how much chocolate is passing across your child’s teeth this Easter season.

Tooth Decay 101

To get a better understanding of why chocolate is bad for teeth, we want to look at what causes tooth decay in the first place. Teeth are made from hard minerals and calcium, and can be broken down by bacteria that inhabit the oral cavity. Normally, the levels of these so called “bad” bacteria are kept in check, but consuming excessive amounts of sugar can change this delicate balance. Sugar itself is not rotting your teeth away, but its presence encourages and promotes the growth of the bacteria that will then go on to form harmful plaques and have adverse effects. The longer sugar hangs around in your mouth, the more of an opportunity the bacteria have to attack.

Know Your Chocolates

What does all this have to do with Easter? Chocolate contains much more than just just simple carbohydrates like sugar, and it’s those in excess amount that we’re worried about. With that in mind, it becomes sensible to look for chocolates that don’t feature a gooey or sticky caramel center, as these types can easily hang around on your teeth for longer than they’re welcome to. Look instead for chocolates with nuts or wafers, stuff that’ll encourage chewing in order to break up the stickiness.

Look for Substitutes

Easter is about much more than just chocolate! Although an important aspect, chocolate is not the be-all-end-all of the holiday. If your children are begging you for a treat, consider swapping out chocolate for other egg-themed toys, or a cute stuffed bunny. Children appreciate these just as much and they can last much longer than a basket of chocolate.

Centennial Smiles wishes everyone a happy Easter! If you’ve got a cavity that needs filling after the holiday is over, we’re here to help! Call us anytime at (587) 317-7959.