Here’s a terrifying statistic: over 80 million chocolate Easter eggs will be eaten this holiday season, and we all know what damage that can do to your teeth… more importantly, your children’s teeth.
How can you minimize the effect of all those sweets? Here are a few helpful hints:
- The best Easter treats are the ones that “melt in your mouth”. The worst is anything hard, sticky, or both.
- Dark chocolate is better than milk chocolate, but less is better, regardless of the type.
- Look for smaller eggs with a lower sugar content.
- Give your kids access to the sweets after a meal instead of as a snack. They’re likely to eat less (since they’ve just had a meal), and as far as teeth go, the more frequent the exposure the worse the potential damage
- Brushing is more important than ever. Do it for at least two minutes, at least twice a day.
- Fluoride really matters. A fluoridated toothpaste strengthens tooth enamel and protects teeth against acid erosion. Chocolate and candy in general encourage erosion.
- Have your kids drink plenty of water before and after eating Easter treats. In fact, rinsing right after eating helps clean away the acid formation and bacteria from sugar, and keeps the mouth most (dry mouths are more conducive to bacterial growth).