So, here we are, at Easter already.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I can\u2019t quite believe how fast the year is going, but the time has come once again for me to do my dentistry duty, and be the one voice of caution during the most chocolately time of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m no Easter Grinch, I promise, but hopefully this email will help you navigate the Easter period, while keeping your teeth and mouth in the healthiest place possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quick bit of science\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Before I get onto the advice, let me just briefly explain exactly what happens when we consume sugary foods and drinks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. The sugar reacts with the bacteria in our mouths<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. This creates acid, which can then attack the enamel on our teeth<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. As the enamel erodes, this can lead to cavities and tooth decay<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. The more sugar, the more acid, and the higher the risk of dental problems<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most chocolate is very high in sugar, which means we\u2019ve got to be careful during Easter not to overconsume, and produce more acid as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With that in mind, here are my 4 pointers for getting through Easter safely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n #1 \u2013 Not all chocolate is created equal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The main issue with chocolate is the sugar content, so it\u2019s worth bearing that in mind when you\u2019re choosing what to eat. Dark chocolate has less sugar than both milk and white, plus it contains antioxidants, so it\u2019s a better bet if you\u2019re trying to look after your teeth and your health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n #2 \u2013 Everything in moderation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Most of us like to have the occasional treat \u2013 the operative word there is occasional. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Limiting the amount of the sweet things is sensible, but it\u2019s also sensible to be aware of the frequency: if you have chocolate many times over the day, you\u2019re consistently producing acid, and your teeth are constantly under attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n #3 \u2013 Drink water and chew gum<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Drinking water doesn\u2019t just keep you hydrated \u2013 drinking after eating something sweet will help you wash away residual sugar and acid in your mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similarly, chewing sugar-free gum can stimulate saliva, which helps to neutralise acid and wash away sugar and food particles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n #4 Last but not least, brush and floss\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Obvious, but critical \u2013 brushing and flossing regularly is essential to remove plaque and food particles from your teeth and gums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, it\u2019s important you don\u2019t brush for at last 20-30 minutes after eating, otherwise you\u2019re brushing the acid around your teeth.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Right, that\u2019s it from me – I hope this helps you enjoy your Easter sensibly and safely!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" So, here we are, at Easter already. I can\u2019t quite believe how fast the year is going, but the time has come once again for me to do my dentistry duty, and be the one voice of caution during the most chocolately time of the year. I\u2019m no Easter Grinch, I promise, but hopefully this … Continue reading Easter Grinch<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2164","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2164"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2164\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2164"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2164"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2164"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}