With the feast of Valentine’s Day, we surely might not avoid swallowing a little chocolate. It is a temptation to which very few can say no. Chocolate is one of the most sought following sweets. Its raw material is cocoa. The texture of chocolate is softer than that of chewing gum, mints and other candies.
However, following eating something so tasty, you might feel sick. And it is that chocolate has always enjoyed a bad reputation, not only because of the calories it provides, but also because of the impact it can have on the teeth. But is chocolate an ally or an enemy of oral health?
How chocolate affects the body
Despite what you might think given its bad reputation, chocolate consumed in moderation is a great food that gives you many benefits. The most notable are the following:
• Antioxidant properties. Pure chocolate is rich in flavonoids, which gives it great antioxidant power. Thus, it will be a great ally once morest free radicals and will help you fight once morest cell degeneration and the resulting aging.
• Prevents cardiovascular diseases. Reduces hypertension and arteriosclerosis.
• Increases cognitive abilities. Its great stimulating power makes it widely used during exams.
• Improves mood. Consuming chocolate promotes the production of endorphins making you feel great.
How does chocolate affect teeth?
Nevertheless, you must keep in mind that the chocolate we usually consume contains sugar, which is linked to the appearance of cavities. The sugar content of chocolate varies by type. In this way, white chocolate is the one with the least percentage of cocoa, being mainly composed of cocoa butter, sugar and other sweeteners. The percentage of cocoa in milk chocolate generally varies between 20 and 50%, but more commonly we find percentages closer to 20%. The rest of its components are milk, sugar and cocoa butter.
Dark chocolate is the healthiest of all, as it contains at least 45% cocoa. This is the type of chocolate that gives you all the benefits we talked regarding above. Not only that, but surprisingly and contrary to what we thought so far, it has components that protect us from cavities. You will wonder how this can be possible.
Chocolate contains a compound called theobromine, which helps preserve tooth enamel. That is, when we have poor oral hygiene, tartar or bacterial plaque occurs. If this plaque comes into contact with sugar, a series of acids are generated that damage the dental enamel, causing its demineralization and the resulting cavities. Theobromine fights this demineralization and thus prevents the appearance of cavities.
On the other hand, as we have indicated, the sugar content of dark chocolate is lower, so the probability of producing acids harmful to your enamel also decreases.
As you can see, when we talk regarding chocolate cavities, we have to do so by including several shades, because not all types of chocolate are the same. In addition, as we have explained, dental caries is not linked to a specific type of diet, but is due to the union of sugar and dental plaque.
The best thing you can do to prevent your teeth from being damaged is to reduce your intake of foods high in sugar. In addition, good oral hygiene is of great importance. You should brush your teeth following every meal and don’t forget to use dental floss or interdental brushes to remove food debris that the brush might not reach.
Randy Montinard
Dental Hygienist
“I am a dental hygienist by profession, a speaker by vocation and a medical writer by passion. For me, health communication is not only regarding writing reviews, but also regarding making medical knowledge understandable and accessible to the general public. »
