It’s a refrain that you’ve doubtless heard at some point in your life, Newport Beach residents, “candy rots your teeth.” Your parents might have warned you about it, or it may have been some other relative. Now maybe it’s your dentist who’s mentioning it to you. But is candy as bad for your teeth as you’ve been warned?
What’s So Bad About Candy?
If we could say that the warnings about candy are an exaggeration, then that would be great, but the damage that it can do from an oral standpoint is very real. Candy is loaded with sugar, but it’s not accurate to say that sugar causes cavities, at least not directly. What happens is that sugar creates conditions in your mouth where it is much easier for cavities to form.
Your mouth is filled with hundreds of different kinds of bacteria. Many of them are essential for oral health. The reason that your dentist warns you about candy, though, is that when you consume it, the sugar facilitates the growth of harmful mouth bacteria.
This bacteria then create acids which erode tooth enamel, which leads to cavities. Cavities are a form of bacterial infection that occurs because of the presence of those acids. The development of a cavity means a hole in your tooth, Newport Beach residents, and these holes will get worse if they are left untreated.
Are Some Candies Worse Than Others?
There are indeed some candies that are worse for your teeth than others. Chocolate is generally not as bad, because it melts as you eat it. What’s worse for you from an oral health standpoint are gummy candies, taffy, or anything else that’s sticky.
Your dentist is also likely to warn you about the sour varieties of things like Jolly Ranchers and Skittles. The additives that make these candies sour are highly acidic, so they break down tooth enamel worse than some of the other sweets that are out there.
What Can You Do to Counteract the Effects?
The optimal thing you can do to avoid getting cavities from candy is not to eat any, but that might be a tall order for people in Newport Beach who have a sweet tooth. Moderation is always helpful, but if you find that you can’t stay away from some of the candies that we’ve mentioned, one thing that you can do is drink lots of water, especially right after you’ve eaten the candy. This will minimize the sugar’s harmful effects somewhat, especially if you swish it around in your mouth.
You can also brush your teeth after you eat the candy if it is convenient to do so. However, you should wait for half an hour before you do. If you brush immediately after eating the sugary treats, it’s only going to do more damage.
It’s hard to say to someone that they should never eat candy if that’s one of their favorites, but if you have to indulge, try to do so sparingly. When your Newport Beach dentist warns you about the dangers of sugar and candy, they are not trying to lecture you. They want you to be able to enjoy your adult life by keeping your teeth healthy for as long as you can. There’s nothing to say that you can’t enjoy oral health even as you progress into older adulthood, but it’s these sorts of decisions that are going to matter as you age.