Almost every holiday comes with a warning from dentists, and Easter is certainly no exception.
That’s because, like most other celebrations, this one involves lots of candy.
And where there’s candy, there’s sugar, and that can mean bad news for your family’s teeth!
Follow These Tips For Healthy Teeth This Easter!
Here are some tips from our team at Kirchner Dental in Jeffersonville, IN to help you get through the holiday without hurting their smiles:
*Enjoy Sweets In Moderation*
Let’s get this one out of the way first.
Hey, we’re a dental practice… it’s our job to remind you about the importance of moderation when it comes to sugary treats!
We’re not telling anyone to dump those Easter baskets out, but we do want to encourage you to monitor your family’s sugar intake over the holiday.
If it helps, stick with bite-size candy or individually-packaged candies so you and the kids aren’t tempted to consume too much sugar.
Like anything else, practicing moderation when it comes to Easter candy is the best thing for your healthy smile!
*Avoid Candy That’s Tough On Teeth*
Not all candy affects your teeth exactly the same way.
Yes, sugar is sugar, and it’s never good for your teeth.
But certain types of candy are far worse for your dental health than others.
Gooey, sticky candy like marshmallows, taffy, jelly beans, and caramel are hard to remove from your teeth naturally, the way most of what we eat throughout the day gets washed away by saliva.
So anything that literally sticks to your teeth is going to be inside your mouth too long, giving bacteria ample time to feed off it and generate all those harmful acids that eat away at your enamel and lead to cavities.
Other sweets to avoid are hard candies like suckers and jawbreakers. Not only would biting down on hard candy put your teeth at risk for dental damage, but like the sticky stuff, the more time sugar spends inside your mouth, the more likely you are to develop tooth decay and cavities.
*Choose Sugarless Options When Possible*
In recent years, we’ve seen a lot more attention paid to the rise in food allergies and sensitivities, which means there are so many more product options available now.
Yes, even in the candy aisle!
So when you see a sugar-free alternative, give it a try!
Sugarless chewing gum is a tried-and-true favorite, and it’s even good for your teeth.
Chewing it not only encourages saliva production that protects your teeth from harmful acids, but most contain xylitol, an ADA-approved agent that helps fight plaque and tooth decay.
You can pick from a wide variety of flavors your kids will love!
*Fill The Easter Basket With Other Treats*
You don’t have to fill up your family’s Easter baskets with candy alone.
A good way to limit everyone’s sugar intake during the holiday is to include non-candy treats, too!
The kids will be just as excited about coloring books, magazines, plastic eggs with coins or dollar bills inside, flavored lip balm, bubbles, or even gift cards.
Choose whatever age-appropriate gifts you know your kids would enjoy, and they’ll be plenty distracted from all the candy.
For a few precious moments, at least!
Schedule An Appointment!
Holidays are fun, but when it comes to your teeth, let’s just say it’s a good thing they only come around once in a while.
We hope you enjoy watching the kids hunt for Easter eggs and dig through their baskets of treats, but remember to protect their smiles with regular visits to Kirchner Dental!
We’re here to meet all your family dentistry needs in Jeffersonville, IN!
Call Kirchner Dental today at 812-406-0914 or contact us online for an appointment.