Ah, Valentine’s Day – the quintessential candy holiday. It’s hard to resist all the boxes of fine chocolates and bags of foil-covered chocolate hearts you see on the shelves at this time of year. You want to give in and indulge, but you know you shouldn’t. What about your teeth?
First, the good news: chocolate is one of the best treats for your teeth. The bad news is that it can still cause cavities if you’re not careful. Keep reading to learn how to enjoy your goodies without putting your pearly whites at risk.
What Chocolate Does to Your Teeth
Most Valentine’s chocolate contains at least some sugar. Putting it in your mouth feeds the bacteria that live there, creating the sticky plaque that causes gum disease and cavities.
Chocolate has one major advantage compared to other candies, though. Unlike gummies, toffees, and hard candies, chocolate is high in fat. This makes it melt faster, helping your saliva wash it off your teeth. It also reduces the amount of sugar present for the bacteria to feed on.
How to Keep Cavities At Bay
Choosing chocolate is already a good decision, but there are a few things you can do to make your treat even more tooth-friendly.
Eat your sweets in one sitting. The less time you spend with sugar in your mouth, the less time your oral bacteria will have to munch on it. That means it’s less likely to cause lasting damage to your tooth enamel.
Brush your teeth 30 minutes after you indulge. Brushing right after eating your treat risks scraping off some of your tooth enamel. Wait half an hour for your enamel to remineralize first. If you can’t wait, swish with fluoridated mouthwash. You’ll rinse off some of the sugar and give your teeth a fluoride boost without introducing abrasives into the mix.
Enjoy your chocolate with some tea. Chocolate melts even faster when exposed to hot tea. Sip some while you eat to wash away most of the chocolate residue before it can harm your teeth. Opt for green tea to take advantage of the drink’s antibacterial and acid-neutralizing properties.
Remember, your teeth are tough. As long as you take good care of them from day to day, the occasional sweet treat (chocolate or not) won’t hurt them.
Book Your Post-Valentine’s Dental Checkup Today
With the right precautions, you should be able to keep your teeth clean and cavity-free this Valentine’s Day – but better to be safe than sorry, right? Contact Ouellette Dentistry today to book a post-Valentine’s dental cleaning and checkup with our expert staff. We’ll make sure your teeth and gums are healthy so you can enjoy all the chocolates your heart desires.
