6 Tips to Protect Your Teeth This Easter

As you prepare for Easter this year, you may be worried about the chocolate bunnies you’re putting in Easter baskets or the jellybeans you’re stuffing in plastic eggs.

Similarly, you might be concerned about holiday food—Easter brunches, family dinners, and even junk food on road trips.

This is a reasonable fear; binging on anything sugary can make teeth and gums susceptible to bacteria, which causes tooth decay and disease.

This Easter, practice these tips from your Main Beach dentist to deal with the harmful effects of sweet candies and rich foods on your family’s teeth, particularly children.

If you want to know more about what you need to do with your Easter treats, read on.

What Is The Danger?

In a word, the danger is “sugar.” The World Health Organisation recommends that sugar consumption be less than 10% of daily energy intake, which is below 12 teaspoons daily for the average adult.

Over half of adults exceed this limit, and at Easter, it is alarmingly simple to double, triple, or even quadruple that intake.

Here are some typical Easter candies:

• Marshmallow Eggs (1 egg) – 4 teaspoons each
• Cadbury Creme Eggs (1 egg) – 5 teaspoons
• Russell Stover Marshmallow Eggs (1 egg) – 4 teaspoons
• Peeps Marshmallow Bunnies (4 small bunnies) – 6.5 teaspoons
• M&M’s Milk Chocolate Eggs (42 grams) – 7 teaspoons
• Jelly Beans (40 grams) – 7 teaspoons
• Large Dove Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny – 48 teaspoons.
• Peanut butter chocolate eggs – 5 to 8 teaspoons

So, How Can You Stay Safe?

Main Beach Dental has six tips for you this Easter:

Avoid these candies

Sugar-filled candies are the overall threat

the sugar they contain is eaten by bacteria and excreted into acids that form plaque and attack the teeth. This danger is present in any food with a lot of sugar – sodas, cakes, energy drinks, etc.

Sugar is beneficial if eaten in moderation. Excess sugars in your body can lead to worse dental and overall health issues like tooth decay, gum diseases, obesity, and diabetes.

Chewy candies

Sticky or chewy candies are more likely to adhere to enamel and get stuck between teeth. They tend to go between your teeth and stay there if not brushed properly.

This means the teeth are exposed to sugar for a much longer time. These candies can damage crowns, fillings, dentures, and other dental appliances.

Avoid taffies, jellybeans, gummy candies, and candies with caramel or marshmallow.

Hard candies

Present the same threats as chewy candies—they remain in the mouth and expose teeth to sugar for extended periods.

Chewing hard candy can lead to pieces stuck between teeth, exposing more tooth surfaces to sugar. Biting down on hard candy can lead to lost fillings, broken dental appliances, and cracked teeth.

Don’t brush immediately after eating candy

Many people brush their teeth right after eating sweets, but this is unwise. The acid in sweets softens the tooth enamel. When you brush that acid on your teeth, you wear the tooth enamel away further. Wait for at least thirty minutes after eating and let your saliva neutralise the acid to prevent wearing away your tooth enamel.

Enjoy your candy with meals or all at once

This minimises the amount of time sugar comes in contact with your teeth, helping to protect them. Eating your sweets with your meals can reduce the effect of the acids in your mouth.

Create a nontraditional Easter basket

Presentation and surprise can go a long way in piquing a child’s interest and distracting them from candy. Consider anything the child might be interested in as a potential basket, such as helmets, tackle boxes, rainboots, sewing/craft boxes, homemade cloth containers, backpacks, and mason jars. Then, fill your container with non-food items like craft supplies, toys, books, and gift cards.

Regular check-ups and professional cleaning

Visiting your Main Beach dentist twice a year for a check-up and professional cleaning is essential to maintaining good oral health. The number of dental visits you should have yearly will depend on you and your oral health. You can discuss this with your dentist at your next appointment.

Healthier alternatives

Try some of these candy alternatives that you and your kids will love:

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate that’s low in sugar has been shown to have teeth-strengthening properties. It contains a variety of tooth-friendly substances that can fight tooth decay and stop bacteria from sticking to teeth. It also contains theobromine, which is even more effective than fluoride at hardening tooth enamel.

Real Eggs

Want an alternative to candy that can be turned into a fun activity? Decorating hard-boiled eggs during Easter with natural dyes is a classic activity that doesn’t have the sugary content of candy.

Sugar-Free Candy

Low-sugar or sugar-free candy can taste just as good but doesn’t have the same sugar content that can damage teeth.

Follow these tips to get through Easter with your teeth and smile unharmed!

Dental Care in Main Beach

At Main Beach Dental, your dental health is our priority. We are comprised of highly trained dentists with impressive clinical skills who work as a team to provide you with comprehensive dental services.

We provide skilled, gentle care for all dental conditions and work with you to prevent disease, decay, and too many dental appointments in the future. Our commitment to our patients is dental health for a lifetime!

Same Day Emergency Appointment Available!

Call us for information at (07) 5503 1177 to claim your FREE Dental Consultation or book your appointment online.

We are located at 11/26-30 Tedder Ave in Main Beach.