Is Dark Chocolate Good For Your Teeth?

Chocolate is a vegetable. That’s right!

Chocolate comes from a cocoa bean.  A bean is a type of vegetable. Therefore, chocolate is a vegetable.  Eating vegetables is good for your teeth.

Sure, share that logic with your dentist and see what type of looks you get. Chocolate may not quite be a vegetable, but research shows that dark chocolate may be good for your teeth!  

Dark Chocolate, White Teeth?

The properties of dark chocolate contain antioxidants, tannins, flavonoids and polyphenols and antioxidants are beneficial for your teeth. Tannins, as well as giving dark chocolate it’s bitter taste, prevent the bacteria that cause cavities from sticking to your teeth. Flavonoids, one in many things, help to slow tooth decay and polyphenols restrict the bacteria’s effects, in essence, they nullify the bacteria responsible for bad breath. Who knew?

Not All Chocolate is Good For You

But beware, all chocolate is not created equal. While dark chocolate has more antioxidants than green tea (roughly four times more) the further away the final piece of chocolate is from the cocoa bean, the lesser the amount of benefits.  So before indulging in that large mug of steaming frothy chocolate drink consider why with all the benefits mentioned above could such a move be detrimental. Take into account the amount of sugars and fats added to conventional chocolate drinks to make them palatable. And we don’t need to remind you how delicious chocolate is, so having some form of portion control is still key.

Like all good nutritional informational bits, we encourage you to visit a dentist before embarking on any diet. Make an appointment so Dr. Chua can check for cavities or recommend a cosmetic dental treatment if necessary. So go forth, share the knowledge, and don’t forget to eat your chocolates…uh we mean veggies.

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