It’s now the most wonderful time of the year! Part of the holiday festivities is eating, drinking, and celebrating – but do so cautiously! This year we need to follow social distancing guidelines, but we also need to be careful with the foods we eat. Many of the foods and drinks we love during the holidays aren’t the best for your dental health.
We want to ensure that all of our patients bring in the new year with their pearly whites intact, so we created this guide to help you choose healthy foods during the holidays.
Foods to Limit During The Holidays
Eggnog: Eggnog may be a delicious and festive treat during the holidays. But, the cream, sugar, and alcohol are a recipe for tooth decay. Alcohol dehydrates you, so your salivary glands don’t function to the best of their ability. Saliva rinses our teeth to help keep them clean and free of sugar and bacteria. The thick blend of cream and sugar clings to your teeth, and the sugar in the eggnog feeds the bacteria so they can run wild and corrode the teeth.- Caramel: I’m sure you can tell that this sticky, sugary food is damaging to your teeth. The sticky goo works its way into the crevices in your mouth where it helps the bacteria in your mouth thrive.
- Candy Canes: We know you can relate when we explain that candy canes create a sticky film on your face when you eat them. This sticky film also goes onto your teeth, and the sugar can do some serious damage to your deathly whites.
- Carbonated Drinks: In addition to the sugar in your champagne and soda, the carbonation itself poses a threat to your teeth. Carbon dioxide is used during the carbonation process, and when you ingest this ingredient, your saliva converts it into a type of acid that is corrosive to your teeth.
Eggnog: Eggnog may be a delicious and festive treat during the holidays. But, the cream, sugar, and alcohol are a recipe for tooth decay. Alcohol dehydrates you, so your salivary glands don’t function to the best of their ability. Saliva rinses our teeth to help keep them clean and free of sugar and bacteria. The thick blend of cream and sugar clings to your teeth, and the sugar in the eggnog feeds the bacteria so they can run wild and corrode the teeth.Foods to Indulge in This Holiday Season
- Turkey: This holiday staple is loaded with tooth-healthy phosphorus. Enjoy!
- Nuts: Nuts are rich in calcium and offer the bonus of manually scrubbing plaque off of your teeth as you bite in. This is a holiday snack you’ll want to enjoy.
- Veggies: Although veggies are great despite the time of the year, they come in handy after you’ve finished eating. Since they require a great deal of chewing, veggies increase your saliva production, which we know helps rinse acid and bacteria out of your mouth.
- Cheese: Cheese is high in calcium and boasts antibacterial qualities and low pH balance. All these factors make this a great choice for your smile.
Contact Us Today
We know that the holidays include sharing your favorite treats with your loved ones. So you can’t say no to one of our “bad foods” during the holidays, that’s okay. Just be sure to follow it up with a thorough brushing 30 minutes after. After the holidays is the perfect time to get a professional cleaning. Panorama Dental is currently accepting new patients, so contact us today!