The holiday season is in full swing! This means a barrage of sweet and starchy foods are bound to come your way. Your teeth may not be on your mind this holiday season, but eating the wrong seasonal foods can do some serious damage to your oral health. Read on to learn what holiday foods and drinks can damage your teeth and what you should have instead.
#1: Candy
Hard candies like candy canes and butterscotch are made almost entirely of sugar. They also contain tons of high fructose corn syrup, which pulls minerals from the teeth and makes them weaker. These things combine to give oral bacteria plenty of opportunities to attack your tooth enamel, which can lead to cavities.
#2: Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is sticky and difficult to wash away from the surface of your teeth. This provides nourishment for oral bacteria for an extended period of time and raises your chances of developing tooth decay.
#3: Stuffing
Stuffing is made up primarily of carbohydrates. Carbs are converted into sugar during digestion, so they harm your teeth in the same way. Foods with high levels of starch also promote the growth of bacteria, so stuffing is a double whammy to your dental health.
#4: Baked Goods
Baked goods are both carb-heavy and full of sugar. This means they’re bad news for your teeth and can lead to serious enamel damage.
#5: Eggnog
Eggnog is full of sugar content and comes in alcoholic varieties. Though we already know how bad sugar is for our teeth, alcohol isn’t great for them either. Consuming alcohol leads to decreased saliva flow. So, instead of your saliva washing away harmful substances, bacteria clings to the tooth enamel and increases your risk of decay.
What to Eat Instead
Though these foods aren’t good for your teeth, there are alternatives that will still allow you to enjoy the season to the fullest, including:
- Sugar-free candies like soft peppermint patties and peanut butter cups
- Fresh fruit like apples and pears
- Roasted veggies like carrots and broccoli
- Leafy greens like spinach
- Sugar-free alcoholic drinks like a gin and tonic
- Lean meats and fish
At first, it may be difficult to avoid or cut back on these holiday favorites. Filling up on sweets may be tempting, but protecting your teeth from damage will allow you to enjoy eating holiday dinners with your loved ones for years to come!
About the Practice
Protecting your teeth during the holidays and beyond is made easy with the help of Dr. Khushboo Gandhi and her talented Murphy Dental Home. They provide the residents of Murphy and the surrounding communities with care they can count on. By administering care to patients of all ages, they teach children how to protect their teeth from a young age so they can keep their smiles bright and beautiful for as long as possible. If you’re interested in learning more about holiday foods to avoid or want to schedule an appointment, call them at (972) 449-5120 or visit their website.