What to do With All That Candy?
At the end of this month if your child comes home with a giant bag of candy what is the best way to manage it? Is it better to have all at once, or should you spread out the candy intake? Does it matter from a dental health point of view?
Remember, the bacteria in your mouth probably look forward to the sugar rush more than your children do. When the bacteria eat the sugar in your mouth, acid is produced. This acid wears down enamel and contributes to cavities. But Erbsville Dental does not want to be a complete party pooper. We all love candy and as far as vices go candy is not the worst. In fact, there may be a few small things you can do to enjoy candy and keep your teeth and gums healthy.
If you already have a good dental routine brushing twice a day and flossing once a day consistently, then splurging or having a candy crush isn’t going to do too much harm. Especially if your selective and avoid some of the riskier bacteria catalysts. For example, chocolate is one of the better choices and an extremely popular treat to hand out. Chocolate is good because it washes off your teeth relatively easy compared to other types of candy, and dark chocolate usually has less sugar than milk chocolate. A good rule to remember is “if it’s sticky, be picky.”
If It’s Sticky, Be Picky!
So be extra picky about eating sticky fruit or gummies. These are notoriously bad candies for your teeth because they are much harder to remove and they stay longer on your teeth, giving cavity-causing bacteria time to work.
Another potential hazard is hard candies, they can crack or break your teeth if you are not careful. And if you avoid crunching them that means you have to keep them in your mouth longer. Therefore, the sugar is dissolving in your saliva and washing over your teeth.” It’s all about exposure time.
You may think that the solution might be having sour candies. They too have their negative attributes. Sour candies often are more acidic, and sugar is often used to balance the sour flavor. Remember acid can weaken and damage the hard-outer shell of your teeth, making your teeth more vulnerable to cavities.
Beware too of the hidden hard bits in popcorn balls. Every year Erbsville Dental sees multiple popcorn victims with broken or missing teeth. For all of these snacks it’s a good idea to have floss or dental picks handy. Remove anything that gets stuck between the teeth or gum line.
When to Eat Your Candy?
Timing makes a difference to. If your kids pop a candy in every 15 minutes throughout the day its much worse than having some sweets after dinner. Your mouth needs some time where it is not fighting bacterial growth. The more time the mouth is in this clean state the less chance of decay.
Moderation
Keep in mind that excess of anything can be harmful. Even drinking too much water can be toxic to the body. Some have even died from water intoxication.
Erbsville Dental encourages moderation with candy and treats in October. Avoid candy and treats that can be extra harmful. Eat your candy at specific times during the day and avoid snacking on it all day long. Brush after eating candy and sweets, and floss away sticky stuff that gets caught between your teeth. If you can’t brush after eating candy, rinsing your mouth with water can reduce the sugar levels and slow bacterial growth.
And, don’t forget to visit your dentist at least once a year.
