Holiday Foods That Top Your Dentist’s Naughty List

Photo by Rose Elena on Unsplash

Ah…the sweetness of the holidays. The month of December is filled with excuses to enjoy treats and goodies. However, there are some seasonal foods and beverages you should consider limiting – or cutting out completely – for your benefit of your oral health.

Candy Canes

This classic holiday treat is never good for your teeth. Not only is the candy cane high in sugar, which lingers in the mouth and sticks to teeth, it’s also hard, and crunching up a candy cane could potentially cause damage to your teeth.

Eggnog

People love to chase away the holiday chill with a boozy cup of eggnog, But this seemingly festive beverage is a triple threat of sugar + alcohol + dairy. The high sugar content leads to tooth decay, the alcohol creates dry mouth and the dairy proteins interact with oral bacterial to turn into bad breath

Crackers

Cheese and crackers are pretty much the go-to nosh at a holiday buffet. However, starchy foods like crackers and breads break down into sugars, feeding cavity-causing bacterial that lives in your mouth.

Caramel Apples

These beauties are fun to look at, but not-so-great for the teeth. Although apples offer oral health benefits on their own, once you smother the crunchy fruit in caramel, it’s now sticky, sugary and acidic. All of these lead to tooth decay and cavities.

We understand that it’s difficult to resist an occasional candy cane or a perfectly round caramel apple. So if you’re going to indulge, take these precautions.

• First, be mindful of your teeth. Don’t use your teeth to bite things that are hard to chew. Cut them or break them into smaller pieces.
• Second, look for the sugar free treats. Many candy canes or sweets have a sugar-free alternative that allows you to enjoy the flavor without the cavity-causing sugar.
• Third, share! Share your candies with your friends, so you don’t end up finishing the whole box on your own while binge-watching Love Actually.

And don’t forget to mind your oral health routine. Drink plenty of water to rinse off the sugar and food particles. Brush your teeth regularly. Floss daily. Visit your dentist regularly for a routine exam.

From all of us to you and yours, have a healthy and happy holiday!