Tips to Tame Your "Sweet Tooth"
The Holiday (Candy) Crunch
It starts with Halloween and carries through the holiday season right into Valentine's Day - the sugar train that travels through many households throughout the fall and winter. While it's up to you to control your household's consumption, there are some candy categories that you'll want to steer clear of from a dental perspective.
Sticky treats, such as toffee, caramels and jujubes are probably the most harmful for teeth as the remnants from these soft candies stick to teeth and are difficult to remove. It's not actually the amount of sugar in candy that can cause decay, but the amount of time that the candy stays in the mouth, which is why hard candies that you suck on over a long period of time are also a poor choice.
Candy that is present in the mouth for an extended time offers a sustained food source for bacteria, which feed off the sugars in the candy to form an acid that then works to dissolve the tooth enamel, initiating the decay process. If you need a quick sugar fix, popping a solid chocolate bar in your mouth is a better choice than munching on one filled with a gooey center, as the candy filling from the sticky contents may adhere to the teeth and provide a longer-lasting food source for the natural bacteria to feed on in the mouth.
Remember to floss and brush thoroughly immediately after having your treats. If you can't brush right away then at least rinse your mouth out with water to flush away any residual candy, and get rid of the sugary culprit!
Say "Cheese" for a Smart Snack!
When you feel a snack attack come on, the first thing you need to identify is if it's a true hunger or thirst-related need for food, or if you're just reacting to stress or boredom. If you are indeed responding to a physical mid-morning or afternoon tummy growl, it's tempting to just grab the first thing that comes your way, so it's wise to plan ahead for snack attacks by making sure that there are always healthy options available close at hand.
Nutritious snacks that are also teeth-friendly include fresh fruit, vegetable sticks, plain popcorn, nuts, seeds and cheese. In fact, cheese is recommended even after a meal. If you can't brush your teeth or rinse your mouth out with water after you eat, munching on a piece of cheese is proven to help protect your teeth against cavities. It may sound strange, but there are a couple of ways this works:
1. First of all, eating cheese helps to increase the amount of saliva in the mouth, which helps to rinse food particles away.
2. The second helpful factor is that cheese provides a coating of calcium on the teeth. After a meal, the pH level in your mouth often drops and your mouth becomes more acidic - a potentially damaging situation for teeth. Eating a piece of cheese neutralizes the acids and helps maintain a pH balance in the mouth that is safe for teeth.
Aged cheddar, Swiss, blue cheese, Monterey Jack, Brie, Gouda and processed American cheese have all been shown to reduce dental cavities. Cheese is also an abundant source of natural dietary calcium, making it a smart snack in the most delicious way.
Healthy New Year's (Dental) Resolutions!
The holiday season tends to be a time of excess - too much food and drink, too many sweets and too many treats that are bad for everything between your mouth and your waistline. It's now time to shake off the holiday habits and start the new year with some healthy resolutions, courtesy of your local dental office!
My Top Five Dental Resolutions for (insert year):
1. I will pay more attention to what I put in my mouth - from food, drinks and tobacco to pens that I chew.
2. I will brush my teeth at least twice a day for at least 3 minutes each time, no matter how tired or how rushed I am.
3. I will floss between my teeth every day to remove the stuff that my toothbrush can't reach.
4. I will schedule regular continuing care appointments with my dentist, ensuring a visit at least every 6 months.
5. I will check my dental insurance right now to see what it covers for this year. After all, if it pays for me to maintain my good dental health, why shouldn't I take full advantage of it?
There's no better time than the present to start on ensuring a new year of healthy, bright smiles!
Wishing you a bright and healthy smile, and as always don't forget to swish, floss, brush and swish again at least twice a day.
Happy Holidays to all.
----Dr. Rob-----
