Seasonal Smile Decay: 4 Popular Holiday Foods That Hurt Teeth

If you’re like most folks, you’ll probably enjoy great meals over the course of the coming holidays. The winter season offers a ton of great stuff to eat at parties, family reunions, and more! Still, you’ll need to be careful with your dishes; festive foods can harm your smile. Having too many treats will lead to harsh oral issues come January. That being said, please go easy on these four popular holiday foods that hurt teeth over time.

Stuffing

Many families have stuffing as a side dish for holiday meals. However, this food won’t do your grin any favors.

Modern stuffing mainly consists of various carbohydrates. As these compounds enter your mouth, they get converted into sugar particles that linger on your teeth. The result is that stuffing attracts harmful oral bacteria, which will slowly erode your teeth as they gather in your mouth. This process would then put you at much greater risk of cavities.

Milk Chocolate

Milk chocolate is one of the mainstay desserts of the winter holidays. At the same time, it’s a major source of danger for your smile.

The truth remains that milk chocolate is absolutely packed with sugar. Indeed, every 100 grams of the former contains 50 grams of the latter on average. It follows that your holiday chocolate could give you nasty cavities if you aren’t careful enough with it. So, try having darker varieties instead of the milk-based kind; dark chocolate tends to have less sugar.

Eggnog

More than a few swear by eggnog, claiming the drink is crucial to the holidays. Even so, this beverage can do a lot of damage to your oral health.

While the fact isn’t publicized much, eggnog’s sugar content is surprisingly high. Just one serving has 20 grams – roughly the daily amount suggested by the American Heart Association. As such, you should try to go easy on the ‘nog this season. You’ll end up with much weaker teeth and gums otherwise.

Candy Canes

What would the holidays be without candy canes? Better for your smile, for one thing; these sweets can ruin your teeth.

Today’s candy canes are pretty much pure and hardened sugar. In sucking on them, you bathe your teeth in particles that attract all sorts of tooth-decaying bacteria. Chewing on candy canes can also make you chip (or crack) a tooth or two, leading to a dental emergency. You’d then have to make a speedy dental visit that disrupts your holiday fun.

To ensure your smile enjoys this season, avoid the holiday foods that hurt teeth. Go after more mouth-healthy fare instead!

About the Practice

The Castleberry Center is based in Louetta, TX. Led by Dr. Darrick Castleberry himself, our practice works closely with every patient to provide the best smile possible. You can thus expect smooth, easy, and tailored results that come from cutting-edge technology! Whether you need a dental checkup or dental implants, our team is ready to help your grin thrive. For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (281)-971-3440.