Sweet Easter Tips

Tips for Healthy Smiles after Easter

The Easter Bunny has come and gone and we all know that for most children, Easter means candy and lots of it!

However, when your child consumes sugary food or drinks, the bacteria (germs) in the dental plaque on the teeth mix with the sugars in the candy to make a mild acid. This acid attacks the hard outer layer of the tooth, called the enamel. If the dental plaque isn’t removed every day by brushing and flossing, over time, the enamel gets soft and a cavity forms. The damage to the tooth depends on how much sugar goes in the mouth and how long it stays there. In other words, the longer and more often sugar touches the teeth, the more damage it can do.

Healthy Easter treat tips
To keep cavities away and protect your child’s smile this Easter, the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) recommends taking these simple steps:

• Limit the number of times a day your child eats sugary treats or snacks between meals. Serve snacks that will not harm your child’s teeth, such as vegetables, cheese, nuts or seeds.
• It is best to eat sugary treats at the end of mealtime while there is still plenty of saliva in the mouth. Saliva helps to wash away the sugars and acids.
• Drinking a glass of water after eating a sugary treat will also help wash away some of the sugars and acids.
• Avoid soft, sticky treats that get stuck between teeth.
• Always have your child brush and floss before going to bed.

Easter with braces can be sweet
Easter candy can be a challenge for someone who wears braces, but it doesn’t have to be.  Children who wear braces should avoid nuts, popcorn, tortilla chips, hard candy, caramel and other chewy candies to keep their braces safe and intact. However, there are plenty of other things that these Easter Bunny trackers who wear braces can enjoy, like nut free baked goods, sugar free gum, and chocolate!

By reducing the amount of candy your child eats and by teaching your child that moderation is important, you won’t have to worry about things like tooth decay and Easter treats can still be enjoyed.

You can find more information on caring for your child’s teeth and preventing cavities all year round on CDA’s website at www.cda-adc.ca.