Gavri Orthodontics – Orthodontist in Fulshear, Richmond and Katy, TX

Chocolate has been a classic Valentine’s Day gift since the early 1900s. It’s difficult to imagine a holiday these days without some form of sugary food, but is it possible to maintain good oral health during such occasions?

Your child is likely to be surrounded by sweets on Valentine’s Day, from classmates and peers to adoring grandparents and childhood sweethearts, thanks to the candy custom. Many parents are aware that too much sugar might harm their child’s oral health, so they are unsure how to manage and limit their child’s Valentine’s Day candy haul.

Orthodontists, like parents, don’t want their children to miss out on the holiday cheer. Orthodontists, on the other hand, want to make sure you know how to help your child take care of their teeth as they indulge, and they may offer tips on how to keep it fun without all the sugar.

While chocolate is a favorite Valentine’s Day treat, other sticky and hard candies like gummy bears and suckers should be ingested with caution. These candies are notorious for soaking the mouth with sugar, which sticks to the teeth and is difficult to remove.

Many parents feel that brushing their children’s teeth right after they consume sugary foods is the best way to avoid tooth decay, however this can really do more harm than good. The grit in the candy fragments serves as an abrasive, causing enamel to be damaged and removed. After consuming sticky, hard candies, rinse with water to remove the residue. Wait one hour after eating the candy before brushing your teeth completely.

Let’s look at a few ways you can limit the quantity of hard and sticky sweets in your child’s Valentine’s Day snacks now that you know what orthodontists recommend after the sweet stuff. Consider some wonderful alternatives listed below:

• In that heart-shaped box that kids enjoy, make a magnificent fruit feast with raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.
• Make veggie Valentine’s Day sandwiches on whole grain bread or heart-shaped cookie cutter cheese and fruit cutouts.
• Put the heart cookie cutter on a slice of whole grain bread, fill the hole with an egg, and griddle it for a gorgeous Cupid’s nest for breakfast. Honey and organic red food coloring make a healthy syrup substitute, and the cookie cutter may be used on whole grain waffles and pancakes.
• By substituting unsweetened applesauce for the oil and icing in classic Valentine’s Day cakes, you may make oatmeal and walnut cookies instead of chocolate chip and sugar cookies.
• Try frozen yogurt with fruit toppings instead of ice cream with candy toppings. Honey can be substituted for the chocolate and caramel toppings.
• Fill ice cube trays with 100 percent natural fruit juice, such as cranberry juice, to make heart-shaped ice cubes. It’s a great alternative to gummy candy and popsicles. You may also make these using carbonated water instead of soda.
• Antioxidants are abundant in dark chocolate, which are beneficial to your health. It’s great for dipping fresh fruits in.
• Take the flavored crackers and chips out of the mix. You may make banana chips from scratch or a fruit dip with yogurt and honey.

These are just a handful of the many sugar-free ways to make Valentine’s Day wonderful. While you may not be able to control how much candy your child receives from others, and it’s great to let them eat it in moderation, you can help ensure that it doesn’t get out of hand by making a few simple changes to your own Valentine’s Day treat offerings.

Gavri Orthodontics wishes you a happy Valentine’s Day!