Have you and your child over indulged in chocolate eggs, sweets or cakes this Easter? As soon as Christmas is over and those colourful eggs arrived on those supermarket shelves you and your child may have found it difficult to resist the temptation. Now Easter is over and the shops have reduced those left over eggs and cake you might be tempted to go and buy yet more chocolate. In the midst of all the fun during the holidays its important that we dont forget to look after our health especially our oral health if we have consumed large amounts of sugar. Here are a few tips on how you and your child can minimise tooth decay:
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With Easter being a time for giving presents why not help encourage your child to look after their teeth by getting them a new toothbrush or their own toothpaste along with an egg so they know when they have eaten their egg to make sure that they brush their teeth. Maybe even buy them a new electric toothbrush especially if they only use a manual brush, this will make them want to try it out and brush their teeth after consuming those chocolate treats.
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Try to encourage your children to eat in moderation e.g. a little bit at a time maybe after dinner as a treat.
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Put the chocolate away and out of reach so that the children aren't snacking on it between meals.
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When you eat an Easter egg, or sugary treat, drink a glass of tap water to wash away any sugars. It is recommended by health experts that we should drink up to 8 glasses of water a day.
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Try eating a small piece of cheese after a sugary Easter treat as cheese helps to stimulate saliva, neutralise acid and keep bacteria from sticking to the surface of the teeth.
- Always brush and floss straight after you eat an Easter egg, cake or sweets.
Despite myths that chocolate is bad for you it is actually good for you in moderation as long as you attend regular dental check-ups, brush twice a day and floss your teeth.