As fun as the holidays can be, it’s common for people to regret some of the food choices they made in December once January rolls around.
This is especially true if you’re someone who is conscious of the state of your oral health. Many of the most common holiday foods aren’t the healthiest for your teeth, so if you want to make life easier for your dentist in the new year, here are some treats you may want to be cautious around.
Stuffing
People are naturally wary around sugar, but some savory foods can be just as problematic for your teeth. Starches, like those in stuffing, are easily broken down by saliva into simple sugars. These are able to feed bacteria just as easily as candy, so you should be just as careful around them; be sure to brush after meals when you indulge a bit too much in these foods.
Nuts
Nuts are a common present this time of year, and while they aren’t unhealthy in themselves, there are certain risks that are occasionally associated with them.
For one, some harder or unshelled nuts could deal damage to your teeth, so be sure not to use your teeth to take the shell off of nuts before you eat them. You may also notice that many of the nuts you’ll get as a gift are coated in some kind of flavoring; if you check, you’ll find that these coatings are usually principally made of sugar.
Sugary Drinks
Egg nogg and cider are hard to pass up this time of year, but each of them are jam-packed with sugars that can cause serious problems for your teeth.
It doesn’t help that many of these drinks contain alcohol which, among other things, dries out the saliva in your mouth. Under ordinary circumstances, this saliva breaks down foods and washes them into the stomach, reducing their capacity to feed bacteria in the mouth. Without it, the sugars in these boozy beverages sit on the teeth for much longer, contributing to tooth decay. You can mitigate these effects by pairing these drinks with a tall glass of water, facilitating saliva production.
About Our Practice
At Garza & Associates, we’re proud to say that we’re more than just another dental practice. For many of our patients, we’re an institution that has helped generations smile their brightest over the last 30 years. We endeavor to make dental care comfortable, convenient, and affordable for all of our patients, providing them with care that fits both their needs and their busy lifestyle.
If you have any questions about how to protect your teeth this holiday season, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (361) 364-4410.