Come Easter Sunday, your kids might be eager to dig into their baskets and eat all of their candy. With staples like Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs andย Peepsย and allย the funย new treats, who can blame them? But while you might advise them to not eat it all at once, it may be best for their teeth if they at least eat their portions all at the same time rather than throughout the day.
According to Dr. Jeremy Krell, DMDย and Director of Dental atย quipย (an online source for dental care products), timing is everything. "Frequent snacking on sugary sweets throughout the day will consistently expose teeth to sugar and create an acidic environment in the mouth, which can cause tooth decay," he said. "It's best toย enjoy a sweet treatย in one sitting, followed by brushing and flossing with an anti-cavity fluoride toothpaste."
The type of candy you chooseโor ehem, the candyย the Easter bunny choosesโmatters as well.There areย two types that should be avoided: sour candy and hard candy. Sour candies are very acidic, while hard candies can potentially harm teeth ifย bitten down on.ย
As for sticky candies likeย jelly beansย or Starburst, theseย can also get stuck on and in-between teeth, so you should get in a good brushing after eating.
The best candy for your teeth (keep in mind, none are great here), is chocolate.Chocolate brushes off the teeth much easier than other candies."For example, a chocolate bunny would be a better option than Sour Patch Marshmallows due to its sour and sticky nature," Dr.ย Krell said.ย
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So, eat at your own risk, or at least get yourself a good toothbrush.