We’re not far from the opening of the first window of the advent calendar now, so it’s as good a time as any to talk about what you’ll be putting into your mouth a bit more than usual at this time of year.

We all let our diets fall by the wayside over Christmas – whether we want them to or not – but here at CK Dental in Bristol we’re also aware of which particular treats are less kind to our teeth than others…

Nuts

They always seem to make a revival every Christmas, and the good news is that they’re probably the best (or the least harmful) Christmas treat available as they’re loaded with calcium, which is essential for strengthening bones.

Coincidentally enough, the ones with the most calcium are almonds and brazil nuts – which are always abundant on the Christmas buffet spread.

Chocolates

We all know about the effect chocolate has on teeth, but when you compare chocolates to other treats on offer, they come out reasonably OK. That’s because they usually dissolve quickly in the mouth.

Obviously, brushing away the residue sooner rather than later would be helpful.

Hard candies

Yes, you’re theoretically eating less of them compared to chocolate, but due to their nature they take longer to break down and stay in the mouth much longer. There’s also the risk of damaging dental work and chipping your teeth.

Toffees and caramels

The real baddies of the selection tin are the chewy toffees and caramels. Caramels have a habit of lodging in the teeth, causing decay. Toffees are even worse, and can cause a filling to dislodge at a time when the dental clinics are closed.

Pound coins

It’s nice to find one in a Christmas pudding. Not so nice to find it after you’ve bit into it (and yes, it happens)