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Chocolate for Valentine’s Day

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Our Mountain, View, CA area patients know that chocolate in moderation can benefit their teeth, preventing the need for dental implants.Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and no one is more excited than we are, here at Smile By Design. The reason we love Valentine’s Day so much is because of the abundance of chocolate that tends to fall into our laps. In particular, we love the chocolate hearts that come from the See’s Candies just off West El Camino Real. Many people seem to believe that because we are a dentist’s office, we are against chocolate. It turns out, however, that when eaten in moderation, chocolate can actually have some beneficial effects on your teeth. Today, Dr. Donian Shen is blogging from Mountain View, CA to talk about chocolate and how it can benefit your oral health.

Defend Your Oral Health by Eating Chocolate

It tends to shock our many patients when they learn that chocolate can actually have some beneficial effects on their oral health. For the longest time, chocolate has been considered one of the main enemies of good oral hygiene. Well, we’re here today to tell you that this fear is over-exaggerated. One of the main reasons for why chocolate may actually benefit your oral health is because it is full of antioxidants. Antioxidants tend to be especially high in dark chocolate, and they are beneficial because they have been proven to help fight periodontal disease. Chocolate also tends to be full of tannins, which is a plant compound found in a large number of the foods we commonly eat. Tannins are beneficial because they have been proven to help stop tooth decay causing bacteria from sticking to your teeth. One last benefit of chocolate is it is a good source of polyphenols, which can not only limit your oral bacteria, but also stop many of the causes of bad breath.

If you do happen to lose a tooth, either through eating too much chocolate or other reasons, it is possible to restore that tooth using a dental implant. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots made from titanium that are fused to your jawbone. Through a process called osseointegration, your dental implants are accepted by your jawbone and gums as a natural part of your oral anatomy. This process is possible because titanium is a metal which the body doesn’t recognize as a foreign material. Because of osseointegration, your dental implants are capable of working and feeling just like any one of your remaining natural teeth.

Call and Schedule a Consultation in Mountain View, CA

As you can see, it is possible to indulge in some chocolate bliss without dooming yourself to a life full of cavities and missing teeth. However, if you do happen to lose a tooth, either through tooth decay or any other reason, dental implants can provide beautiful replacement teeth that you will love. If you would like to learn more about the effects of chocolate on your teeth or how dental implants may benefit you, we encourage you to contact us and schedule a no-obligation consultation with dental implant provider Dr. Donian Shen today.