Did you say candy? You mean sugar, sugar and more sugar. Soft, hard, gummy, sweet, sour, spicy… Candy, although so delicious, is a cavity’s best friend and therefore a sworn enemy of your teeth! Your South Shore dentists at our dental center located at 550 de Mortagne in Boucherville will help you develop the right habits to avoid the downfalls resulting from the consumption of these often addictive sweets!
Very few of us can resist the temptation of sweets. Fortunately, our experts at the Centre Dentaire & D’implantologie Boucherville near Longueuil, Brossard, Varennes and a few minutes from Montreal are well aware of the consequences that these little treats can have on the health of your teeth. They also know the right steps to take to considerably reduce the risks associated with consuming these irresistible sweets for your oral health. During your next visit, feel free to ask for their advice and they will gladly answer.
It All Began Long Ago…
More than 2500 years ago, the exciting history of confectionery began: the Persians knew the secret of the “reed that gave honey without bees” and used it to make the first sweet treats. In the Middle Ages, the discovery of sugar cane allowed Europeans to make sweet foods… which were very expensive at the time. Today, candies have become very accessible and are often the biggest nuisance for our teeth!
Candies Are Not So Good: Find Out Why!
Why do we always warn you about eating sweets? The answer is clear: any excess whatever it may be, is not recommended. We all know that it’s hard to hold ourselves back when it comes to these divine treats. Very few of us can resist! Weight gain, diabetes… The list of consequences of an overconsumption of sugar on our body is incredibly long, and same goes for our teeth.
But what’s the ultimate culprit when it comes to candy? There’s no denying it – the sugar from which the candy is made is transformed into acid by the bacteria present in most of our mouths. This acid inevitably eats away at the enamel of our teeth by digging microscopic holes, in which of course, will eventually be filled by other bacteria. Goodbye enamel, hello decay.
And let’s not forget the devastating physical effects of certain candies: a sticky caramel or jujube can blow out a filling or a crown. We all know of at least one person around us who has suffered a broken tooth after biting into a hard candy! But don’t panic, despite this rather bleak outlook, it’s possible, with a few simple habits, to maintain good oral health while continuing to eat candy.
To satisfy your cravings for sweets, it’s best to wait a good twenty minutes after a meal to brush your teeth, but don’t wait to do so after eating candy: remove the residual sugar immediately with your brush and your second best friend, dental floss, then rinse your mouth. Drink plenty of water to dilute the sugar still in your mouth.
Candy – we just can’t help ourselves. It’s hard to be satisfied with just one of these sweet treats. If practicing moderation is sometimes difficult for you, you can at least do everything you can to ensure that your oral health does not suffer. Regular and efficient brushing and flossing are the first steps to saving your teeth! Your South Shore dentists at the Centre Dentaire & D’implantologie Boucherville will confirm this at your next check-up.
