Can chocolate really be good for your teeth?

Never did we think we’d hear those words. Here at Defacto Dentists, we love chocolate as much as the next person. Luckily for us, it’s just been Easter and we’ve still got plenty of chocolate eggs to work our way through in the office.

How can our teeth benefit from eating chocolate?

For years, all we’ve heard is that chocolate makes us gain weight, that it can affect our skin, that is damages our teeth. And while this is true for white chocolate and milk chocolate, dark chocolate might actually be good for our teeth. Some dark chocolate can even contain four times the antioxidant levels found in green tea and could even help fight cavities. As if we needed another excuse to crack open some more chocolate?!

Fighting off cavities!

Eating DARK Chocolate Limits Bacteria in Your Mouth helping to ward off cavities. This is because dark chocolate has a good source of polyphenols, natural chemicals that can help to prevent bad bacteria. They are also able to neutralise organisms in the mouth that cause bad breath.

Preventing Gum Disease.

There are tannins in dark chocolate too. Tannins are plant compounds that give dark chocolate their bitter taste and dark colour, which some people don’t like. However, these tannins also have high concentrations of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. This is particularly effective at preventing gum disease.

Eat the chocolate, but keep on brushing.

That doesn’t mean you can skip out on brushing though! While dark chocolate can be good for your teeth, we recommend you eat it in small amounts. Brushing your teeth twice daily for two minutes, flossing and visiting the dentist at least twice a year is the only way your teeth will be totally cavity free.

Find a dentist near you!

If your teeth need a little bit of TLC, maybe after a little too much chocolate, why not head over to our website. There, you will be able to find a whole bunch of dentists in your town who are ready and waiting to treat you. Head to www.defactodentists.com and enter your location to get started. Then, you can narrow the search by treatment type on the left if you want to. Browse all of the practices and then pick the one best suited to you.