Tips for cutting sugar intake after the Easter excess

While children will naturally want to tuck into some of the chocolate goodies on offer, it is important not to let this become a habit. Chocolate is great as an occasional treat, but it should always be enjoyed in moderation to help limit the impact on the child’s wider health and their oral health.

Unfortunately, unhealthy chocolate treats are very visible at this time of year. The shelves are usually stocked with Easter eggs as soon as the Christmas decorations are cleared.

If you’re determined to help support your child’s oral health around Easter, we have a few tips that could help you to moderate consumption without being the bad guy.

Facts about chocolate and oral health

From a dental point of view, eating chocolate along with meals is a preferred option to snacking on it throughout the day. This is because the harmful bacteria that attacks teeth after eating sugary food can be broken down by saliva that is produced when eating a main meal.

When the attacks are sustained throughout the day, the body’s natural defences cannot keep up with demand and the saliva fails to wash away all of the harmful bacteria, leaving it stuck to the surface of the teeth where it will eventually lead to decay.

Too many sugary snacks will also lead to weight gain and can cause other health problems, so restricting sugary snacks on a day-to-day basis is a sensible option.

It’s important to make sure that chocolate is viewed as an occasional treat and not an everyday snack. There are a few ways that parents can help to maintain this approach.

Tips to cut back your sugar intake

Cutting back on sugar is often easier said than done. In an ideal world, not getting into the habit of regularly eating sugary snacks is the best solution, which makes restricting Easter eggs to the Easter holiday important.

Breaking a habit is difficult, but choosing options that are appealing instead of chocolate or biscuits will really help. The following could help:

Keep fruit on hand – Fruit is sweet and tasty. It makes a good alternative for dessert and will provide the sweetness missing from sugary snacks. If your child is looking for sweet treats because they are hungry, then an apple or a banana could help to fill this gap until their next meal time.

Stock up on healthy snacks – Keeping alternative snacks in the cupboard at home will stop you heading for the shops when you or the children want a snack – where there will be sugary temptations aplenty. Consider nuts, crackers, carrot or cucumber sticks, breadsticks with hummus or fruit.

Recognise triggers – A lot of snacking is due to emotional eating due to stress, feeling down or being bored. If there is an activity that helps, such as going for a walk or listening to your favourite music try that first. Children might instinctively reach for sweet treats when they are engaged in another activity like watching TV. This kind of mindless snacking should be avoided, or you could try directing them towards healthier snacks like raw veggies and low fat dip.

Make treats a special event – Making it clear that chocolate is only an occasional treat will allow your child to enjoy this experience to the maximum. If you only allow chocolate treats at one time per day – such as after the evening meal – your child will grow to appreciate how special this time is.

Lead by example – Children will often follow your actions, not your words, so make sure that you are setting a good example to follow. By avoiding unhealthy snacks throughout the day and making it an after dinner treat that the whole family gets to enjoy, you’ll all enjoy better oral health.

While enjoying an Easter treat is to be expected, make sure that consuming sugary treats does not become an everyday habit that could put your dental health at risk. If you need your dentist’s help to drive this point home, you can book a routine checkup. Ask your dentist to outline the risks of eating too many sugary sweets so that your child can understand what is at risk.

If you have any concerns about decay please make an appointment to see a dentist at Bhandal Dental Practice.