‘Tis the season for home-cooked meals that keep you cozy in chilly temperatures. Unfortunately, those very meals could be damaging to your smile. Eating holiday foods in Frisco doesn’t have to be bad for your teeth. Keep reading to learn which foods you should enjoy in moderation this season so your first checkup and cleaning in the new year goes smoothly!
Chocolate
Milk chocolate may taste delicious, but it is full of sugar. When eaten, the sugar that remains on your teeth feeds the bacteria in your mouth, creating acid. This acid bores its way through your enamel and can cause tooth decay.
Toffee
Everywhere you look, you can find peanut brittle or toffee cookies this season. But this is one of the worst treats for you to indulge in. When sticky treats get wedged between your teeth, your saliva isn’t able to neutralize the acid in that area. If left there, the acid can eventually cause tooth decay.
Hard Candy
Peppermints and butterscotch candies often make their way into holiday cookies and candy. You may even pop one into your mouth until it’s time for dinner. But sucking on these for long periods of time can have a demineralizing effect on your enamel, due to prolonged exposure to sugar that feeds harmful oral bacteria. If you can’t live without your butterscotch hard candies, consider opting for a sugar-free version!
Cranberry Sauce
While it is definitely a staple side dish this season, cranberry sauce contains a large amount of sugar. This gooey food can help fill you up, but it will also feed the cavity-causing bacteria on your teeth. The good news, however, is that you can keep cranberries on your menu! The nutrients you get from eating fresh cranberries can help reduce plaque by 95 percent. So, feel free to add as many of them as you like to your plate!
Stuffing
The moment you place this bread-based side into your mouth, your saliva almost immediately begins to break it down. It becomes a sticky substance that can sit on your teeth long after you’ve finished eating. The starches in stuffing carry a minimal nutritional value for you, but they easily feed the bacteria in your mouth, helping to produce an enamel-eating acid. Try to keep this side to one serving.
Your dental care routine is crucial to your oral health this time of year, so make sure you brush twice a day and floss at least once. It’s also a great idea to drink water after eating any of these foods. Doing these things will help make your first 2021 visit to your dentist in Frisco a lot more pleasant.
About the Author
The dentists at Stonebriar Smile Design are dedicated to taking dentistry to the next level. Drs. Jill Wade and Kristi Moody are highly experienced dental professionals who offer the treatment of gum disease therapy, dental surgery, dental oncology and more. These doctors and their staff want to help you get the clean, beautiful smile you deserve. To learn about their preventive care services, contact the office at (469) 361-0081, or visit the website today!
