Dark Chocolate is One of the Better Sweets for Your Smile
It is likely that you have heard many times that sweets and high-sugar foods can be bad for your smile. While the idea that they cause cavities is false, sugar does provide fuel to the bacteria that cause cavities.
Keeping your sugar consumption to a minimum does not have to mean not having any sugary or sweet foods at all. The best option is to make smarter choices. In fact, dark chocolate could potentially help your smile. Keep reading to learn more about this topic. Remember that no matter how much or how little sugar you eat, you must keep up with your dental cleanings and exams if you want to continue having excellent oral health.
Dark Chocolate is High in Flavonoids
One of the reasons that dark chocolate is better than other options is because it is high in flavonoids. This is an ingredient that you can find in a cocoa bean used to make any type of chocolate. However, dark chocolate have more cocoa and therefore more flavonoids. They can help protect your body against certain toxins, can help boost blood flow to your brain and your heart, and can even health lower blood pressure.
Dark Chocolate Can Help Protect Your Teeth
One study of dark chocolate, completed by Texas A & M Health Science Center, found that dark chocolate has higher amounts of tannins than other chocolates. Tannin can help you prevent cavities by getting in the way of the bacteria that causes them. While you should still brush and floss on a regular basis, tannin can help keep your teeth safe.
Dark Chocolate is Not Sticky
With some candy, it is not just the sugar that is an issue but the stickiness. Think of chewy, gooey caramel that adheres to your teeth and gets stuck in the crevices between your teeth. It is not hard to imagine that this would cause more damage to your teeth than non-sticky sweets that can be washed away with saliva alone.
Just be careful of dark chocolate bars that include other ingredients. If you have a dark chocolate and caramel bar it can cause issues. If you have a toffee and chocolate bar, it can cause issues. Choose dark chocolate bars with no other ingredients. Look for bars with less processing.
Let Us Help You Keep Your Teeth in Great Shape
While dark chocolate may be a better sweet than others, this does not mean that you can simply eat as much as you want and expect that it will never damage your teeth. Instead, we recommend flossing and brushing regularly. We recommend keeping up with your cleanings and exams. If it has been more than six months since your last exam, contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 to set up an appointment.