Love Sweet Candy? Take These Measures To Ensure Candy Don't Damage Your Teeth
If you love sweet candy, you should know that they increase your risks of developing dental disease. It would be good to cut down on your sugary snacks, not only for your teeth but also for your overall health. However, there are also steps you can take to minimize the damage to your teeth, and they include the following tips:
Snack during Mealtimes
Most people remember to brush and floss after taking their main meals, but not after snacking. Take advantage of this common behavior by eating your sugary snacks during or immediately after your main meals. That will you will be able to get the sugar out of your mouth when brushing your teeth.
Chew Sugar-Free Gum after Snacking
Another neat trick is to carry sugar-free gum with you so that you can chew on them after eating sweet candy. There are two main ways in which this will prevent the sugar from damaging your teeth. First, gum is sticky and will help get particles of candy off your teeth. Secondly, chewing gum stimulates saliva production, and increased saliva flow will also help clean your teeth.
Carry a Portable Toothbrush
The best thing you can do for your teeth after eating sugary candy is to brush your teeth. If you love sweet candy, however, there are high chances that you will snack on it even when you are away from home and can't use your normal toothbrush. Make it a point to always carry a portable toothbrush that you can use anywhere, for example, in workplace restrooms.
Delay Brushing After Eating Sour Candy
Although brushing your teeth after eating sweet candy is advisable, you should not do it immediately if the candy was also sour. This is because sour candy has acidic property, which soaks into and erodes the enamel. Brushing immediately after eating such candy will intensify the damage by eroding the enamel further. Just rinse your mouth with plain water and give your teeth a few minute's rest before brushing them.
Rinse Your Mouth after Snacking
The more sugar remain on your teeth after snacking on candy, the more the bacteria will feed on it and the more your teeth will be damaged. This means rinsing your mouth after snacking on sweet candy will go a long way in limiting the damage. Even if you don't have a toothbrush nearby, just swirl some clean water in your mouth to rinse the teeth. It may not be perfect for getting rid of all the sugar, but it is better than not doing anything at all.
For more information, contact a family dentist.
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