Easter is creeping up on us and the Easter Bunny has a way of just dropping off those sugary baskets and hopping away. But unfortunately it might not just be your waistline that pays for all that yummy sweets and chocolate. Your teeth might suffer, too.
While the amount, type and form of the sugars can also depend on the severity of the impact, generally speaking all sugars cause the same effect, bacteria feeds on the sugars in the food you eat and they create acids. The level of acidity in your mouth helps control the bacterial environment and if it’s too high or too low, this creates problems for your oral health. Over a period of time, the acids they create destroy tooth enamel, resulting in tooth decay.
The truth is, you can easily prevent erosion and in turn tooth decay, by brushing and flossing your teeth regularly, seeing your dentist regularly for teeth cleaning and checkups, and of course, avoiding foods that are high in sugar.
In the meantime, here are some other simple steps you can take to help reduce your sugar consumption now that the bunny is on its way:
- Brushing. Brush your teeth twice a day for at least 2 minutes and floss daily.
- Avoid soft drinks. Replace with water, flavoured water or green tea.
- Avoid sweets, cookies, and pastries. Or at least limit them to small amounts once or twice a week.
- Healthy snacks. Choose healthy snacks like raw vegetables and fruits, cheese, peanut butter, or nuts.
- Beware of “low-sugar” or “sugar-free” labels. Many low-sugar or sugar-free products use artificial sweeteners instead. Controversy looms about potential health risks associated with use of artificial sweeteners.
If you have any concerns or questions please phone us.
