Here comes spring! Carnivals, circuses, and fairs are popping up all over the Rio Grande Valley, and certainly, your little heroes are anxious to go. Of course, some of the biggest attractions at the carnival are all the scrumptious treats. We’re talking cotton candy, funnel cake, fried Oreos, ice cream, soda pop, popcorn, and so much more.
Despite how delicious these treats are, they can really do some damage to our smiles, especially if our little ones are enjoying them too much.
At Heroes Dental, we know that families tend to indulge from time to time, especially during Spring Break. But it’s also important to stay aware of your dental health during this leisure time. Our Rio Grande Valley family dentists take oral healthcare very seriously and we want to make sure you and your little ones have a lifetime of beautiful smiles.
If you and your family are going to be enjoying local carnivals this spring, then make sure you avoid overindulging in the following carnival treats.
5 Carnival Treats You’ll Want to Limit
1. Cotton Candy
No trip to the carnival or circus is complete without cotton candy. But eating too much of it can cause more damage than just a tummy ache.
Cotton candy is made of pure sugar, which is your smile’s worst enemy. Sugar can cause cavities and tooth decay by being a source of food for unhealthy bacteria.
2. Funnel Cakes
In general, every delicious, deep-fried dough treat covered in tasty and sticky sugar can be dangerous.
Not only are funnel cakes – and the likes – incredibly high in calories, but they can also ruin your smile in the same fashion as cotton candy. The sticky sugar can find its way into hard to reach crevices in your teeth. Over time, this can lead to an excess of cavity-causing bacteria.
3.Corn Dogs
This delicious snack is double trouble, especially because they are often consumed outside of carnivals and during our daily lives.
Not only do their soft dough covering present the same problems as funnel cakes, but they also contain lots of sodium. Over a lifetime, excessive consumption of sodium (salt) can lead to problems like osteoporosis, which can weaken your teeth.
4. Candy Apples
A double-edged sword, caramel or candy apples actually contain lots of fiber, which can help clean away some of that sugar off your teeth while also making you feel fuller so that you don’t imbibe on other sugary treats.
On the other hand, there’s no stickier sugar than caramel or hardened sugar. Candy apple particles can lodge themselves in your molars and remain there even after drinking water. Having sugar lodged in your teeth is asking for trouble.
5. Pretzels
This savory treat may not seem as obviously dangerous to your smile as the other snacks on this list, especially because they don’t contain a lot of sugar. However, they do have lots of sodium and very sticky dough.
This dough has sugars and starches that can generate plaque and lead to issues with your teeth.
Contact Heroes Dental today at any of our South Texas locations to schedule your spring cleaning!
If you are planning to go have fun at local fairs or carnivals with your little ones, make sure to schedule an appointment after all that excitement with one of our friendly neighborhood dentists at Heroes Dental.
Have a safe and happy Spring Break!