Easter is a particularly dangerous time for your teeth and your children’s teeth. It’s a time when chocolate Easter eggs are traditionally eaten and eating too many of them at the wrong time can be particularly harmful for your oral health.
The Danger that Easter Eggs can pose
Easter eggs and other sweets tend to contain a lot of sugar that can be very harmful, especially if enjoyed to excess. The sugar reacts with the bacteria that’s in your mouth and creates acid. This attacks the enamel on your teeth, eventually leading to cavities that will need attention before they cause toothache and tooth loss.
Many teenage children eat double the recommended amount of sugar on a daily basis. Add in Easter eggs to the mix and consumption is likely to increase even more to an excessive amount. Smaller children have a lower daily allowance and so Easter eggs can have even more of an impact on them if not controlled.
Childhood obesity is one of the serious problems caused by eating too much chocolate and other sugary foods. Damage to oral health is another, with sugar causing extensive tooth decay that can necessitate extractions. It’s clear, therefore, that action needs to be taken and that’s particularly urgent at times such as Easter.
Ways to Counter the Easter Egg Threat
Every time you eat, acid is produced in your mouth to help the digestion of the food. The amount of acid is increased with sugary foods and remains for about an hour after eating, posing a threat to the enamel on your teeth all this time.
The best way to cut down on acid is to reduce sugar intake. This can be achieved by not eating sweets at all, including Easter eggs, but since this may spoil some people’s enjoyment, eating them sensibly is the alternative.
You can reduce the amount of sugar by giving fewer chocolate eggs as Easter presents, substituting small gifts instead. And the eating of eggs should ideally be confined to immediately after meals when mouth acid is already present. This means the length of time the acid is present is hardly increased whereas, if you snack on chocolate eggs throughout the day, your teeth are in danger for prolonged periods.
The aim, primarily, is to reduce the length of time your teeth are exposed to acid and this can be achieved by eating chocolate less frequently and in lower quantities. Children can be distracted from eating by providing alternative activities, such as games and days out. They should also be encouraged to eat different and healthier snacks, such as fruit and nuts, sandwiches and cheese, the latter being able to neutralise the acid that causes decay. Drinking plenty of water will also increase saliva flow that will neutralise acid.
At times when sugar intake is high, it’s more important than ever to practise good oral hygiene. That means keeping up with regular brushing — first thing in the morning and immediately before bedtime — and flossing once a day. Don’t brush immediately after eating chocolate since tooth enamel is softened by the acid produced and can be worn away. It may also be a time to increase the use of fluoride, possibly supplementing the use of toothpaste with a fluoride mouthwash to counteract the intake of chocolate. And regular dental check-ups are essential to look for potential problems and improve oral hygiene.
No-one wants to spoil people’s enjoyment, especially at times such as Easter, but the harmful effects of sugar certainly aren’t enjoyable. So it’s best to prevent problems occurring by having good oral habits at all times.