Do you have a sweet tooth? Join the club! No one confuses dessert with healthy food, but for many of our patients at St. Mary’s Dental in Mechanicsville MD, it’s just not realistic to recommend avoiding sugary treats.
If you fit that category, here is something useful to know: eating sweets at certain times is better for your teeth than others. For instance, when you eat a full meal, your saliva production increases. Saliva is necessary to neutralize acids and rinse bits of food off of teeth.
That means that sweets consumed after meals present a lower risk to your teeth, because your mouth is already in optimum cleansing mode. Sweets after meals are preferable to sweets eaten between meals as snacks.
Additionally, remember that the type of treat is as important as when you eat it. We constantly remind our patients that sticky candies stay on your teeth for a long time, even when your saliva is flowing. And hard candies that you suck for an extended time give bacteria a perfect environment to create dangerous enamel-weakening acids.
A good choice? Chocolate! A lot of our patients are happy to hear that. Plain old chocolate (no nuts, no chewy inside) melts away quickly and won’t stick to your teeth. Just be sure to brush before bed!
At St. Mary’s Dental in Mechanicsville MD, our services include general and family dentistry. People from North Waldorf, East Huntingtown, and South Laplata come to our practice for dental implants, and all their dental health needs. Call to schedule your next checkup today!
Contact St. Mary’s Dental:
301-884-3248
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
28169 Old Village Rd
Mechanicsville, Maryland
20659
