Last month, we discussed the dangers of eating candy for Valentine’s Day. The level of marketing that Easter candy has reached is similar to that of Valentine’s Day. It seems if at the end of the day on Valentine’s Day, all of the red and pink heart candies are moved to the sale section, and the Easter candy comes out. It’s important to note that we’ve been dealing with nonstop sugary treats since Thanksgiving, so we’re nearly in the clear. We’ll go over the ways that Easter candy could be harmful to your dental health, recommend some other sweets, and gives tips to keep your teeth clean if you must indulge.

On the topic of indulgence, it’s important to realize that this mentality has a lasting effect. These “once in a while” treats can alter our taste buds, making us crave worse foods in the following weeks and months. Holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Easter give the children the opportunity to develop habits they keep for the rest of their lives. It’s important to teach children moderation and healthy habits even during holidays. Sugary, refined carbohydrates also change the development of the bones and structure of our children’s faces and airways. The earlier children begin to have dental issues like cavities, the more complicated their oral health gets in adulthood.

The Worst Types of Candy

Sticky candy, like marshmallow characters

  • The stickier the candy, the more damage it’ll do to your teeth. This is because the candy will get stuck to your teeth and allow bacteria to create the acid that erodes teeth.

Long Lasting Candy

  • The longer you expose your teeth to sugar and acid, the more time bacteria will have to produce acid. Sucking on lollipops or a chocolate bunny all day can do more harm than eating the same amount of candy all in one quick sitting.

Anything gummy

  • Believe it or not, gummy candies can be the most acidic. And as you can probably guess by now, acid is really bad for your teeth!

Healthy Alternatives

Dark chocolate

  • As we’ve previously mentioned, the properties found in dark chocolate have been shown by several studies to be better than fluoride at strengthening and remineralizing teeth.

Real eggs

  • Making hard boil eggs puts the focus on decorating the eggs with dye and stickers instead of eating loads of sugary things.

Broccoli and Carrots

  • It may seem silly, but bunnies eat carrots and broccoli! So, why not eat the food of the holiday mascot? These vegetables are also great to clean your teeth, as the crunch helps brush against the outer surface of teeth.

We know how difficult it is to avoid sweets all together. So, if you MUST have some sweets, please keep the following tips in mind:

Drink plenty of water: Water helps neutralize the acids produced by the bacteria. Swishing with water help shake loose bits of sticky candy that get stuck in between teeth

Don’t snack all day:  As we stated about, eating a lot of candy all at once is better than spreading it out over days or weeks. If you’re going to expose your teeth to acid, do it for as little time as possible.

Wait to brush:  With all that acid in your mouth, you’ll want to wait until the acid in your mouth neutralized to brush and floss.

Enjoy your holiday!