Not all candy and snacks are made equal.
Even though it might be after Halloween, many kids are still eating their collected candy and the Holidays, known for lavish sweets, are right around the corner.
Of course I must say that the best snacks for your teeth are no snacks. But if you’re human like me, snacks are still eaten. And that isn’t to say that snacks should never be eaten. Being a holistic dentist, snacks with small, moderate amounts of sugar are needed by the body. But you must be careful.
Let’s start off with some positives and talk about one of the most common snacks, chocolate. Comparatively speaking, chocolate is far better than most unhealthy snacks for your teeth. Chocolate is more easily brushed or rinsed off of your teeth compared to sticky or hard candies. In fact, the cocoa bean’s compounds help fight plaque and can help harden your tooth enamel. Some studies go as far to say that these compounds are equally or more effective than flouride at fighting tooth decay. To help even more, you might want to try dark chocolate. Dark chocolate has far less sugar than milk chocolate and is even better for your teeth.
Speaking of sugar, you might also want to try sugarless candies and gums. Sugar creates bacteria in the mouth, harming your teeth. The sugar and bacteria are also difficult to clean off your teeth. So it’s best to avoid sugary snacks for your health and teeth.
Some of the worst sugary snacks for your teeth include ones that are sticky, such as gummies or taffys. They stick to your teeth for long periods of time and even brushing it off can be difficult. Sadly this also includes dried fruits too, due to their high concentrations of sugar and their stickiness
Sticky and sugary snacks aren’t the only thing to look out for. Hard candy can cause just as much damage. They tend to stay longer in our mouths allowing the sugar to erode more of the teeth’s enamel. Not to mention there is always the danger of chipping or breaking a tooth from biting the hard candy, especially for kids and elders.
I know it can be tough to avoid snacks and candy like these. But there’s ways around it; such as eating dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate, or choosing sugar-less gum over gummy snacks. These are just a few ways to make better choices and help take care of your teeth. If you have more questions or are concerned about the health of your teeth/mouth due to sugar and sweet consumption, please see me, Dr. Chang, today at Evergreen Dental Care, your best Alhambra dentist!
