A little bit of sugary treats in moderation is healthy living and we shouldn't deprive ourselves.
But here are a few pieces of advice this Easter you should keep in mind...
1. Avoid really sticky or crunchy treats
Sticky sweets (such as toffees, caramels etc) stay around the teeth for too long and can cause higher rates of decay than the traditional milk/dark chocolates…. Crunchy hard sweets can easily break teeth, and suck out crowns/fillings too!
2. Enjoy your sweets with your meal
It's really not WHAT you eat, but WHEN and HOW OFTEN you eat them. Eating your sweets/drinking sugary or acidic drinks with your main meal will reduce the number of times your teeth are exposed to detrimental sugary or acidic conditions. Snacking these every 30-60 minutes prevents your teeth from ever having a break and they are constantly swimming in harsh conditions. The spit in your mouth needs time to re-coat your teeth, and wash away the harmful sugar and acid particles.
3. Don't your teeth brush within 30 minutes of eating
Acid and sugar weakens your teeth every time it touches the enamel (outer coating). Your mouth needs 30 minutes of buffering time where the pH of the mouth becomes neutral again. Until then, tooth-brushing will scrub away at your softened teeth causing erosion and tooth wear. It's just too harsh!
4. Swish or drink a cup of water after your chocolate egg
Instead of tooth-brushing straight away, sip on or swish around a cup of plain water to dilute the sugar levels in your mouth. This will help with your hydration too!
5. Floss nightly
Floss between all your teeth at night to get rid of any chocolate, nuts, caramel that get missed when brushing. Tooth-brushing does not reach between the surfaces where the teeth meet together and are one of the most common areas to develop cavities. Be sure to floss during Easter when more than normal quantities of Easter Eggs and sticky Hot Cross Buns enters your mouth!
6. Sweet sensitivity
Feeling a short sharp "twang" after you eat something sweet is not a good sign. Be sure to give us a call to have it checked, as it could mean that there is a cavity brewing.
