Minimise the risk of tooth damage this holiday

Chocolate is the biggest part of Easter for most children. We know from experience here at our Egham dentist, that kids get extremely excited about all the chocolate eggs they are going to enjoy at Easter. Who can blame them really? There's something about a chocolate egg that tastes better than a chocolate bar, and nobody really knows why!

The only problem with all this abundance of chocolate at Easter, is the impact it can have on the teeth. If it was just one day, it may be OK to think that the damage is limited. However, more often than not the entire month following is centred around consuming the many eggs that have come into the house.

So, how much chocolate is too much?

Clearly there is an element of personal choice here, and our Egham dentist is certainly not here to place judgement on anyone. However, we can advise you on the best way to avoid damage to the teeth when they are exposed to a lot of sugar, as they are over Easter. The ideal scenario would be that some chocolate is consumed as dessert after a meal and only then. Water would then be consumed to rinse away the remaining sticky chocolate, and that would be the entire Easter process. However, this isn't the case for most families, so here are some suggestions to help you curb dental damage during this chocolatey holiday:

Consume chocolate with meals

Sure you might have one day where the kids are allowed chocolate all day (usually Easter Sunday) however, the rest of the time chocolate can be kept in a drawer and given out as a treat at mealtimes. That way, the child's teeth aren't constantly exposed to sugar.

Avoid acidic sweets and sticky chocolate treats

Caramel, toffee and acidic sweets can all come with the easter egg, which is bad news for the teeth. High acid treats damage enamel, and caramel and toffee stick to the teeth for a long time causing damage the entire time they are exposed to the teeth. Where possible, avoid your child consuming these types of treats.

Enjoy other types of food

Where possible, avoid eating chocolate because of hunger. Have hearty and healthy meals to curb the appetite of your child, so that they will hopefully not want as much chocolate.

Keep Easter active

The rest of your body doesn't enjoy the constant junk food either, so a good way to balance the calories out, for everyone in the house, is to keep Easter active. Go out for an Easter walk, have a speedy Easter egg hunt, play Easter musical chairs - anything you can do to keep everyone moving is great. The more you move of course, the less likely you are to be thinking about consuming chocolate; which is great for your teeth!

Maintain Smile Health All year Round With Your Egham Dentist

Crown House Dental is currently taking on new patients, and we would love to keep your family's dental health tip top all year round. From cosmetic dentistry, to orthodontics and general dentistry, we provide professional treatments and services for all ages. Please call us on 01784432641 for more information and we will be more than happy to help!