Halloween and other holidays are fast approaching, and sweet treats and candies are simply unavoidable. After you go around the neighbourhood collecting your Halloween candies, it’s nice to reward yourself with a few sweets.
Unfortunately, while many enjoy the taste of candy, cakes, and cookies, they are not considered “healthy”. Even if you are not eating the absolute worst Halloween candy for your teeth, sweet food and beverages are particularly bad for teeth. However, if you have trouble resisting these sweet temptations, you need to learn how to protect your teeth from these sugary treats.
Are Sweets Bad for Your Teeth?
Candy contains an enormous amount of sugar. According to research, eating sweets and drinking sugary beverages frequently cause cavities. Although the majority of people link meals with a high sugar content to cavities, sugar alone is not the problem. Instead, what is to blame is the series of things that happen next. When you often snack on sugary foods and do not practice the necessary dental care, your teeth are exposed to different acids for longer periods of time, which leads to tooth decay.
How to Eat Sweets without Damaging Teeth?
It’s difficult to completely abstain from sugary snacks, but you can always take steps to prevent dental decay. Here are some ways to enjoy sweets while still taking care of your mouth.
- Avoid chewy or long-lasting treats
It’s crucial to remember that the longer sweets remain on your teeth, the more harm they may do. Bacteria will feed on these sugars to produce corrosive acids, a process that takes place over the course of 20 minutes. If after 20 minutes and you are still chewing on a candy, you probably have not had a chance to remove the bacteria off your teeth. Your teeth will have sustained several acid assaults as a result.
- Try sugar-free candies
Even while it might not be the most appealing choice, several low-sugar treats taste wonderful and are healthier for your dental health. Consider getting low-sugar snacks like dried fruits or sugarless cake in place of your usual sweets.
- Chew the appropriate gum
Gum chewing encourages the production of saliva, which removes sugar from teeth. Additionally, sugar-free gum can lessen the chance of decay by preventing plaque from adhering to teeth and preventing plaque build-up. Make sure to use only sugar-free gum since normal gums has sugar and can harm your teeth.
- Try eating cheese after
When given various options for a meal, most individuals choose the conventional method. That is, an appetizer would come first, followed by soup and salad, the main meal, and finally dessert. If you finish your meal with a sweet dessert, the sugar in your mouth will do serious damage to your teeth if you do not clean them right after.
Consider having a cheese course after dessert to get rid of cavity-causing bacteria. Cheese may neutralize the acids in sweet foods and return your mouth’s pH levels to their normal state. Additionally, it contains casein phosphate, a substance that helps to strengthen bones and teeth.
- Drink water
Water washes away the sugary remnants that stay after you eat or drink sweet food or beverages. Additionally, water dilutes oral bacterial acids before they cause damage. Today’s tap water also includes fluoride, which fortifies tooth enamel and guards against tooth decay. As a result, water is the most accessible and cheapest prevention method for cavities.
- Use disposable toothbrushes
Sweets are a favourite travel snack. The hectic schedules around the holidays may leave you with little time to clean your teeth 30 minutes after eating.
To avoid disrupting your plans, carry a disposable toothbrush with you. This will give you the opportunity to clean your teeth wherever you are. These toothbrushes are perfect for people who are constantly on the go because they also come with toothpaste for added convenience.
- Floss your teeth
Most individuals neglect to floss. To maintain healthy teeth and gums, it is crucial to remove food stuck between your teeth. You run the risk of exposing your enamel to erosion if you let sweets adhere to your teeth for long periods of time. After eating sweets, make sure to floss.
- Don’t brush your teeth right away
Brushing your teeth right after consuming sweet or acidic foods helps the acids wear your teeth down and can damage your enamel. Allow saliva to partially replace the acids for at least 30 minutes. If you can’t brush 30 minutes after, clean your teeth before eating anything sweet or acidic and follow it up with a glass of water.
- Keep a healthy diet
To prevent the harm caused by occasional sweets, make sure to eat foods that support dental health. You may improve your dental health and fortify your teeth against decay by consuming leafy greens, fibre fruits and vegetables, and dairy products.
- Regularly see your dentist for check-ups
If you have a sweet tooth, it’s vital to schedule routine dental exams. Your dentist will thoroughly clean your teeth during your check-up to remove plaque and tartar. Additionally, during your check-up, your dentist has the opportunity to identify and resolve issues to prevent future dental treatments and procedures.
There are sweets aplenty during the holiday season. Fortunately, it’s possible to enjoy sugary treats without harming your teeth! The key is eliminating the bacteria in the mouth that lead to tooth decay.
Whether you are concerned about sugar-related cavities or simply committed to improving your overall dental health, we at Springdale Dental will be there for you every step of the way. If you need a family dentist in Brampton, call us at (905) 458-1212.
