The holiday season is finally here! While the holidays are an exciting time, they can also be detrimental to your oral health. One of the main reasons for this is because of the candy canes and Christmas candy you may eat.
While candy canes are delicious, they can be damaging because of their high sugar content. This may surprise you as candy canes don’t typically taste very sweet. When you suck on a candy cane, you’re spreading sugar around your mouth. Those sugars are then sticking to your teeth and gums and welcoming cavity causing bacteria.
Even though many toothpastes contain peppermint oil and candy canes may leave your breath feeling minty fresh, the high sugar content of candy canes makes them harmful to your oral health. If possible, do your best to avoid or minimize your intake of candy canes and other sugary Christmas candy this holiday season. Sugar free mints and peppermint chewing gum are healthier alternatives to candy canes.
In the event you do indulge in a candy cane or another sweet treat, be sure to brush and floss your teeth thoroughly immediately after. This can help you wash the sugar out of your mouth and reduce your risk of cavities. It’s a good idea to keep toothpaste and floss with you at all times so you can use it if you’re out and about while consuming these sweet treats.
With Christmas candy being a very big part of many children’s diet shortly after Halloween, it is important to teach your children the importance of moderation and always brushing before bed. If sugar sits on their teeth for eight hours or more every single night for months on end, there will be consequences in the future. Our great friend and Charlotte, NC orthodontist Dr. Chad Johnson always likes to say, “candy is fine, a significant amount of candy will cause issues later in life.” Think about this before buying 10 boxes of candy canes at Target just because they are on sale.
Contact River Run Dental Spa
If you have further questions on candy canes and Christmas candy and how they may affect your teeth, call our Richmond, VA office today at (804) 262-1060.