Love is in the air -and that includes loving your straight teeth!
Before sinking your teeth into the various tasty treats currently gracing store shelves, here are some examples of candy that would do more harm to your teeth than others.
Gummy candies are one of the biggest offenders, as pieces can stay stuck to your teeth, harming your enamel, until they finally fall off or are removed by brushing and flossing. The bacteria in your mouth loves sugar. The more sugar you have on your teeth, the more acid they release that chews away at your enamel. Yuck!
Hard candies, such as lollipops, stay in your mouth longer while you are consuming them, giving them more time to wreak havoc on your teeth.
Sour candies are filled with citric acid, which can, over time, also cause erosion and tooth decay. The bacteria in your mouth already use the sugar in the candy to produce acid, and if that candy contains citric acid, that’s double the exposure to acid!
Want to cater to your “Sweet Tooth”? We recommend sticking to chocolate. What could be more perfect for Valentine’s?
A small piece of chocolate quickly melts away, reducing contact time with your teeth. We also vote for dark chocolate. It has a much lower sugar content, and contains antioxidants and stress reducing compounds.
No matter what delicious desserts you are eating this Valentine’s Day, remember to take out your invisible aligners before eating or drinking anything – and brush your teeth regularly, especially before putting your aligners back in.