Stocking Stuffer Ideas For Healthy Teeth
A painted chocolate Santa Claus on a bed of chocolate crumbs
THE HOLIDAYS ARE approaching, and that means it’s time to shop for treats and presents for the people we love! Often times, these treats aren’t the healthiest choices for our teeth. So we’ve worked together with our resident dentist, Dr. Sara Shayan, to put together some suggestions for more dental-friendly goodies to stuff in those stockings — as well as some things to avoid.
Stocking Stuffer No-Nos
"Stay away from holiday treats that can linger in your mouth, like those delicious caramel squares, or candy canes. Sucking on candy canes can cause your mouth to be under a constant sugar attack which increases your risk for cavities.Chewing those caramel squares can cause the caramel to stick on your teeth, increasing the length of sugar exposure and also increasing the risk of tooth decay."
The Dentist’s Picks
"It’s Christmas and it’s supposed to be fun. I wouldn’t expect parents to stuff their kids' stockings with carrots. But if you are looking for the lesser of two sweet evils, I’d include either chocolate or sugar-free candy.There are lots of sugar-free candy out there that kids can still enjoy and aren’t as harmful to teeth. Chocolate is also a great option, who doesn’t love chocolate!? Although it’s sweet and sugary, chocolate melts away quickly so we don’t see a prolonged sugar attack on teeth like we do with sticky candies."
Looking For Other Yummy Stocking Stuffer Ideas?
Wishing All Our Patients A Happy, Healthy Holiday Season!
Of course, another option would be to avoid edible stocking stuffers altogether, in favour of small toys and games that will take your children’s minds completely off their sweet tooth cravings.No matter what goes in those stockings, though, don’t forget to keep up with all those good brushing and flossing habits through the holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you at your next cleaning appointments!
Thank you for being part of our practice family!
Three Christmas stockings hang above a lit fireplace
Interested in delicious Christmas meals that are good for your teeth? We've asked our dentists for their approved holiday recipes.
Would you like to book an appointment? Use the button below to book an appointment.
Reference:
Tufts University, Health Sciences. (2010, August 5). Chew on this: Six dental myths debunked. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 1, 2020, from ScienceDaily.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.