It really is the most wonderful time of the year, but not so much for your teeth and gums, especially if you like to indulge in all of those holiday buffet goodies. While those starchy, sticky, sweet, and acidic foods taste good, they don’t do much for your waistline, or your teeth and gums.
According to your family dentist in Delray Beach, holiday goodies can wreck havoc on your teeth.
Watching what you eat during the holidays and watching those holiday foods will keep you out of the dentists chair before your next scheduled appointment.
Below are a few foods to try to resist during the holidays.
Starchy Holiday Foods
Cakes, cookies, bread and other holiday foods may be delicious but they are not good for teeth. Dr. George Sanchez explains that starchy holiday foods convert to sugar and acid and will eat away at the enamel on your teeth. Even worse, pretzels, potato chips, and your grandmother’s favorite rum cake will stick to the crevices in the back of your teeth. If you must indulge, rinse after and don’t forget to brush when you can.
Sticky Holiday Foods
You may love the dried fruit platter that your best friend sends you every Christmas, but those dried apricots, mangos, pineapples, dates and figs are just as bad as the high calorie variety. While dried fruit may be a better option for your diet, it isn’t good for your teeth. The same can be said about caramels, saltwater taffy, and any other sticky foods. Sticky foods stick to your teeth and are nearly impossible to remove without brushing. Sticky foods can also damage dental restorations.
Hard Candy Ruthless on Teeth
You may look forward to biting into a candy cane once Thanksgiving is over, but rest assured, you could damage your teeth. Candy canes, butterscotch and other hard holiday candies are loaded with sugar. If you suck on a hard candy, you are literally giving your teeth a sugar bath. On top of that, if you bite too hard you could crack a tooth.
While all holiday foods are good in moderation, some should be avoided all together. If you do enjoy rinse and brush after to avoid any unnecessary trips to your dentist in Delray Beach.
Happy Holidays from Dr. George and his team from your Delray Beach dental office.