Healthy Candy for your kids and their teeth

You’ll love these healthy Easter treats as much as your kids!  Yes, we’re still advocating for candy because no kid needs to be denied the love of a nice treat.  We all need something to look forward to and it doesn't have to be an expensive gift or drastic gesture.  Sometimes spending 5 minutes picking out something as simple as a healthy gum can be a defining moment between a child and their grandparents.  I know for me those memories of going to the candy store with nickel in my hand were some of the most exciting times. When Easter comes around, a lot of people think of egg hunts, family gatherings, rabbits, spring, and pastel colors.

Most of those people are forgetting the number one thing that kids are actually thinking about: the candy!  Easter marks almost half a year before or after Halloween, meaning it’s the other holiday of the year that candy is most prevalent. While Halloween easily takes the crown on most candy bought during the year, Easter isn’t far behind in second. If you think you may have cavities from a little too much candy last Halloween, don’t hesitate to tell us! 

We all know that too much candy can be bad for your health and your teeth. As always, taking things in moderation is the best piece of advice for your children and you. But since it’s not always easy to find healthier alternatives to things such as candy, we’ve gone ahead and compiled a list of some of the better candies out there that you may want to include in your kid’s Easter basket. Look no further for some of the healthiest treats out there.

The first treat to talk about that is a little better for you is dark chocolate.  Dark chocolate can be extremely low in sugar and calories, and it offers many antioxidants while still retaining that classic chocolatey taste everyone craves. While milk chocolate is the leading type of chocolate among Easter candies, there are plenty of dark chocolate varieties that are so much better for you than milk chocolate. If you have the chance, get your kids hooked on dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. 

Never forget the classic rice crispy treat.  I don’t really know if I’ve ever met someone who disliked Rice Krispie treats, whether they were homemade or in the packages from the store. They’re very low calorie, have less than 4 grams of sugar, and have next to no fat. Try to have your kids help make a home-made recipe this Easter!

Dried fruit can be really good. Dried berries are very healthy. From antioxidants to healthy sugars, berries are great in smaller portions. If you can find some that are covered in dark chocolate, that’s your best bet. You may even be able to find some chocolate covered pomegranate seeds, which usually sounds wonderful to adults.

Go for the regular candy every once in a while.  Get a Reccee.  This is the classic Easter basket stuffer. They’re always portion-controlled, which goes a long way in keeping your kids in moderation. But the amount of protein, iron, fiber, and calcium in these actually makes Reese’s eggs so much healthier than most other candies out there. Don’t skip out on putting this iconic treat in your child’s Easter basket.

Erythroplakia And Oral Cancer

Erythroplakia is an oral condition that involves abnormal production of cells. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes it as a formation of bright-red velvety plaque at any lesion of the oral mucosa. This plaque doesn’t fall in the category of a recognizable infection.

The Oral Cancer Foundation states that premalignant lesions such as erythroplakia are not as common as leukoplakia or white lesions but have a higher chance of becoming dysplasia or malignant in nature. This condition affects only 1 to 5 percent of older adults above 50, but early diagnosis is necessary.

Causes and outcomes

The leading cause of erythroplakia is tobacco use. People who use tobacco and alcohol are more prone to developing this problem. Sometimes, consistent irritation due to ill-fitting dentures or fractured teeth can also be the reason. Aging and persistent viral infections are also the reasons for this condition.

You can ensure prevention or early diagnosis only by visiting your dentist more regularly. During the oral exam, your dentist will examine the entire oral cavity, including tonsils, throat, and areas outside your neck and head. He will look for swelling, palpable nodes, or other growths to determine if there is any problem like erythroplakia.

To curb this premalignant condition, you will need to avoid risky habits. However, the dentist will refer you to a specialist if a suspicious lesion is found. Timely and appropriate treatment can help you prevent this problem from becoming cancerous.

What to look for

Lesions and ulcers in the mouth often result from viruses, trauma, or genetic predisposition. About one-third of the population gets these lesions and ulcers. The good thing is that these irritants subside within a week to ten days. During this time, you can consider taking over-the-counter drugs to control pain and inflammation. If you notice a red and velvety lesion being persistent for more than two weeks, make sure to get an appointment for a checkup.

The screening test will involve the following.

• A look at the medical history and a thorough oral analysis
• A review of lifestyle factors
• Biopsy
• Referral to an oral surgeon
• Imaging tests, including x-rays tests, or CT scan

With the help of these exams, the dentist will tell you if you have Erythroplakia and the treatment you need to get rid of it.

Treatment

The biopsy tests will help your doctor or dentist know if you have this condition. If the tests are positive, the doctor will refer you to a surgeon to get the abnormal cells removed from your mouth. It is worth remembering that the condition can recur after the removal of abnormal cells, so you will need to be under consistent monitoring to make sure that you are not developing this condition again.

Oral lesions are often signs of an underlying condition, which can be pretty severe or life-threatening. The best practice is to notice some changes in your mouth. If you suspect anything, be sure to visit your doctor or dentist to get the affected area analyzed immediately.

Coffee and Wine aren't good for your teeth?

I know that I am not a perfect human.  In fact, I probably have a few more vices than many and some of those affect me more than I ever thought.  It is pretty crazy to think that just simply loving coffee and wine could have dental health issues instead of all the other things you always hear about. So this article is about working on bettering myself and hopefully you too. That is why it is important to make sure you are doing your best to protect your body and there are some areas that get neglected that can help or hurt your body on a daily basis. What I believe is a big area that gets skipped is the area of dental health.  This is an area that we use daily and we can have an impact on our mouths and teeth by what we drink every single day.  I know that personally, this is an area that I need to work on and my normal habits are actually causing my teeth to erode at an accelerated rate. I actually made a little diet that I started to follow not for weightloss, but for dental health.

Every single morning I am always waking up, taking my vitamins, and then drinking lots of coffee.  I simply love coffee and it goes beyond the need for the caffeine.  Yes, I am more than addicted to it and definitely have withdrawn if I don't get enough.  But it is simply the taste and the warmth that excites me every morning.  There is no way I feel like I could go on with my life without my wonderful morning kick of coffee.

My entire adult life has been based on getting caffeine in the morning and doing it with coffee.  But what I am also doing is drinking multiple mugs full every single day.  That means I am exposing my teeth to a lot of acid and tooth staining liquid every single day.  I know I should be drinking less, but it is simply a necessity and I feel like I must have it.  What I am doing is causing my teeth to erode much faster than they should be and I think it is hurting me.  I am certain that my teeth are turning browner and yellower on average and that is my teeth being eaten away.  Even though I brush a lot this can actually hurt my teeth more. I know that drinking less is going to be an important health move for me.

So I also am not stupid and understand the side effects of quitting cold turkey so I got some caffeine pills.  That is my goal to cut back on this drink that simply hurts me and millions of Americans dental health each and every day.  I think that tea will give me the same feeling and caffeine pills will actually keep me from getting withdrawal symptoms and my morning will still have a nice kick involved.

There are also other vices and wine is pretty much on the same pace at that one.  I know that I like to drink a glass at night and the same issues bove are still in it.  SO my goal is to also cut that in half as well.  My teeth are worth it.

Does a child's toothbrush work?

I just got back from vacation and we decided to get some nice travel toothbrushes.  But what really happened was we ended up getting child toothbrushes for the entire family.  Is that really bad or were we going to be just fine? Now I did notice that mask-wearing was not super fun on vacation.  I really started to notice that my breath was not what I wanted to be smelling all day long behind a mask. This led me down to the toothbrush aisle and then things started to get really complicated.  The number of toothbrushes I saw was absolutely crazy.  I saw at least 30 different ones and I didn't understand which one to really go after. So I ended up going home without one and decided to do some research. So let me dive into my journey.

But was my toothbrush going to work or not? I was not entirely sure, so I had to find out.  Well, I first started by hopping online.  There are so many company websites that have their own opinion and they are usually backed by the ADA or at least mention them or their own dentist they have paid for the advertisement.  The majority of people will say to use a soft toothbrush that is simply comfortable in your hand.  But that idea of the perfect toothbrush was really different from one website to another.  They all had some strange bristle or pattern that they claimed was 10 times better than the leading brush.  Well when the majority of websites claimed this, it became a huge farce to me.  There is no way 10 leaders are 10 times better than each other. Truly I was not convinced, so I wanted more information.

Social media was a giant ad essentially. Everyone was saying they had the best and well when you see that so many times it loses its potency.  It sounded like the best way to describe the majority of videos is to simply get a medium to a soft-bristled toothbrush that feels good in your hand.  Their talk was more about people are more likely to brush their teeth for the full two minutes if they feel happy and that matters more than anything else.  It is the ability to get you to keep brushing that matters more than a type of bristle or a handle.  Even the dentists talked about not making a difference if you are using an automatic brush or not.  They simply said it's the doing the task that matters more and that the talk of those electric toothbrushes is talking about stats that simply don't matter.  The dentists didn't see the difference in what they are doing unless the individual was unable to brush like normal due to a disability.  So it really strikes home that for the most part these all work and after talking with some dental students most all the differences are not science, but technological farces.  It hurts to see so many lies in the real world of health. Maybe that is why most people don't like dentists.

Just get a brush that you like and remember to use it.  That is the key to all dental health is doing something. Otherwise, you may be in trouble in the long run. 

Don't let you diet kill your teeth!

My diet has been a hard part of my life.  It is an area that has been the hardest to control and the older I get, the more I see that it plays a major part of my health.  Surprisingly, I am not talking more about my teeth than anything.  This is part of growing up and learning to compromise because you cannot have your cake and eat it too.  That is especially true when it comes to your teeth and how you are able to keep them safe and clean.  I have been looking into my own dental health thanks to the 2021 covid aftermath and it has caused me to be a little more careful about what I am actually drinking.  I have found that many of the drinks that I love are rather painful and can truly end up causing my body lots of harm and no help.  Now I want to go over some of the things I have learned to hopefully help out anyone in a similar situation. But we are all different arn't we!

The pandemic helped me to cut down on my addiction to soda. And it was and still is an addiction.  I love Pepsi and it is a staple for my lunches.  I find the caffeine to be a boost to my day and it helps me to feel excited about lunch and gives me that extra punch of energy to finish off my day.  But the sugar and acid in the soda actually are damaging my teeth at a very fast rate.  The sugar and acid are actually eating away at my tooth enamel and causing me to have faster tooth decay.  I generally drink more than a glass a day, so I am way beyond the healthy limit of what I should be doing. 

 Let me be clear, drinks are way bigger in the United States than anywhere else in the world and they don't need to be.  I really, don't even notice that I am drinking that much, but it is constantly crossing over my teeth and breaking them down.  So it is my goal to cut down on my lunch drink and instead simply start to supplement my caffeine addiction with pills instead of sweet drinks.  My goal is to help my teeth out by not throwing acid on them constantly and still getting that boost of energy from the pills.

We all knew it was coming, but I am also a coffee addict.  It is simply the best part of my day!  This is an area that hurts my dental health not only in physical areas but also in looks as well.  The dark coffee color is staining my teeth after it eats away at my enamel.  It is a double dose of tooth erosion and also bad looks.  I know that my mornings are filled with 2 cups every single day and sometimes three.  That means that I need to change the way I am doing my morning if I want to have a safe dental life.  One thing I am going to try and work on is substituting the coffee with tea in the mornings. Tea is not my favorite, but it is better for my teeth and also has other health benefits and the compromise is worth it at my age now.