Top 3 Easter Treats to Steer Clear Of

The Easter holidays are celebrated to varying degrees from house to house, but will likely involve some amount of chocolate and candy. Children everywhere look forward to visits from the Easter bunny and to scrounging up sweets in their local egg hunt. Where sweets are involved, teeth are involved as well! We’re here to show you how to be wary about what kinds of treats that you or your children are ingesting while still being able to enjoy yourself.

Caramel Eggs

Caramel or toffee filled eggs are a bit of a double whammy for teeth. First off, the high amounts of refined sugar that you ingest can send the harmful bacteria in your mouth into a feeding frenzy, during which they’ll multiply like crazy. If that wasn’t bad enough, the sticky nature of the candy causes the sugar to linger on teeth, especially in hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. To make matters worse, eggs with a sticky centre also turn into a bit of a mess if left to melt. Opt for small or hollowed out eggs for your egg hunts this year; they’re just as much fun to find! If you must treat yourself to a yolk-filled chocolate egg, be sure to clean your teeth with a quick rinse of water after.

High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Chocolate found in stores are often of varying degrees of quality. Many chocolates that are on the sweeter side of things actually have low cocoa values and use a high amount of high-fructose corn syrup. This syrup is essentially liquid sugar and has the same effects on teeth as the caramel eggs described above. When you’re shopping around for chocolate, keep a sharp eye out for the percentage of cocoa that was used in making the chocolate. Try choosing darker chocolates, or milk chocolates that use cocoa oil and not corn syrup substitutes or fillers.

Solid Bunnies

Chocolate bunnies are a fun and adorable way to celebrate the Easter holidays. However, buying a bunny made from a mass of pure solid chocolate can easily deceive you into biting off more than you can chew. This Easter, opt for cute looking bunnies that are hollowed out on the inside so you can still enjoy your delicious looking Easter decorations without worrying about sugar overloads. Finding small ways like this to decrease your overall sugar intake can add up and make a large difference.

The Easter holidays are a perfect time to enjoy some sweet treats and take some time off during a busy time of year. However, as with everything else, it’s important to keep in mind that moderation is key! Looking to book an appointment for a checkup? Centennial Smiles is more than happy to see you. You can reach us at (587) 317-7959 today!