Easter is soon  upon us and with it the demand for all things chocolate.
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying  chocolate, but make sure you don’t forget about your teeth and your family’s teeth this Easter. Sugar isn’t just a precursor for bad oral health, it set’s the tone for bad overall health and wellbeing.
You may  be pleased to hear is that a little chocolate can actually be a good for you , particularly if you stick to dark chocolate (70%  cocoa and above). Cocoa butter can actually stop plaque sticking to our teeth. Chocolate is also high in antioxidants and  tannins – which again help stop the buildup of plaque.
Chocolate also contains CBH (cocoa bean husk extract), a compound that in research, has been proven to strengthen enamel, another factor which can help reduce tooth decay.
But these benefits only come with a good quality chocolate. Cheaper  chocolate will be full of sugar and it’s this you will want to avoid .

We’ll all be enjoying a square or two of chocolate  this Easter and we think you should too. If you follow these three steps you can do it in a way that won’t have to feel guilty about:
1. Stick to dark chocolate
Look for the chocolate that has a high cocoa percentage(70%).  Try to avoid milk chocolate and particularly white chocolate with it’s much higher sugar percentage.
2. Enjoy in moderation- if you can.
Don’t go completely  crazy on the chocolate consumption! It’s easy  to over-indulge and while a small treat is fine, gorging on chocolate isn’t healthy.
3. Remember to brush your teeth!
It should go without saying – but make sure you remember to brush your teeth twice a day. If you have children , it’s especially important to reiterate this to them at Easter time.
Have a happy  Easter from Felpham Dental .