It doesn’t matter what religion you are or how you do or don’t celebrate Easter in New York City, the ubiquitous candy of the season is tempting to even the smallest sweet tooth. What these foodstuffs do to your teeth, however, is a big problem.
Of course, you know that too much sugar can cause cavities, but do you know why? Did you ever stop to think about the damage the wrong candy could do to your beautiful cosmetic dentistry?
Oh, So Sweet but Oh, So Bad for Your Teeth
Spy one of the following candies at the checkout counter and you know the Easter season has arrived. Chances are, you’ve been munching on some of these goodies since Valentine’s Day. Now that the holiday is upon us, you’ll have an opportunity to clean up your sweet-snacking act, or you may simply search for a substitution until the next annual candy favorite makes its appearance.
1. Jellybeans
They’re chewy, sticky, gooey, and you can never eat just one. No matter which brand of jellybeans you’re partial to, the verdict is this: Jellybeans stick to your enamel and in between your enamel. If you don’t have dental floss handy, you’ll be feeling that gunk in between your teeth for hours. Get enough sticky stuff going and you could pull your dental work right out of your mouth.
2. Chocolate Bunnies
When it comes to candy, chocolate is the way to go. It sticks to your teeth far less than other sugary treats. Plus, it’s chocolate. Can you really go wrong? If you’re going to chow down on sweets, make it a chocolate bunny. Just don’t try to bite through the ears – sometimes they can be harder than they look.
3. Peeps*
To know them is to love them – or completely hate them. If you fall on the love side of the spectrum, you know that sugar-coated marshmallow Peeps are so fluffy and light you can eat dozens of them. This candy may be soft, but the thick sugary crust and sticky marshmallow make a brutal combo for dental work.
4. Cadbury* Creme Eggs
Cadbury makes a mean chocolate, meaning excellent. If you have a weak spot for the crème eggs with their syrupy, tongue-thickening, over-the-top sweet center, your teeth may hurt just thinking about the taste and the sugar bath. Might not break one of your teeth, but if you’ve got an older piece of cosmetic dentistry that doesn’t fit just right, an unexpected cavity could appear.
5. Cadbury* Mini Eggs
Again, chocolate is better for you than other sweet candies, and the meat of the Cadbury Mini Eggs is divine. However, if you can pop mini eggs for days, that crisp shell that is so satisfying could do some dental damage if you bite down just the wrong way.
Protect Your Cosmetic Dentistry from Easter Candy
Now that you know which Easter candies are the biggest offenders when it comes to damaging teeth, it’s time to consider your cosmetic dentistry. No matter what kind of aesthetic work you have had done, you want to do your best to take care of it with proper brushing and flossing and regular dental checkups. Yes, plenty of these restorations are stain resistant and super-strong, but that doesn’t mean they’re impervious to the power of candy.
Just be smart about how you indulge and in what Easter candy you indulge. Presumably, you spent plenty of time and expense to get the smile you’re sporting. The last thing you want to do is allow some candy to destroy the porcelain crowns or fixed dental bridges or inlays or onlays or cosmetic bonding so carefully applied to your teeth.
If your Easter candy indulgences have gone too far and damaged your cosmetic dentistry, contact Dr. Michael J. Wei, New York City cosmetic dentist, to schedule your consultation.
*No shade to the Peeps and Cadbury companies. Yum.
