A Guide To Holiday Foods from Dental Partners of Boston

Gingerbread house on pink background. Caption: Take good care of your teeth this holiday.

AS WE APPROACH the holiday season, it’s easy to get caught up in all the festivities with family and friends. While the holidays are fun, they can be hard on our teeth. Here are a few foods to watch out for during this exciting time of year!

Holiday Drinks

Drinks like hot chocolate, cider, and eggnog are delicious… but they’re also loaded with sugar, which can interact with bacteria in your mouth to create tooth decay. Limit your intake of these sweet drinks. After enjoying your drink, rinse it down with a glass of water to wash away any sugary residue.

Peppermint Sticks

Candy canes are delicious, but they pose a double threat to your teeth. Firstly, candy canes take a long time to dissolve, which extends the amount of time your mouth is filled with sugar. Secondly, we’re often tempted to simply chomp down on them. Chewing on candy canes can be particularly bad for your teeth because the candy sticks to the crevices in your teeth.

Caramels

These chewy sticky treats are problematic because they spend so much time stuck to your teeth. In addition, the sticky caramel can wreak havoc with braces, fillings, and crowns.

Here Are Some Things You CAN Do To Keep Your Smile Healthy

We’re not saying you should deprive yourself of all holiday sweets this year. However, we encourage you to be diligent in taking care of your smile. Limit the number of treats you eat. Eat them with meals, or just once a day. Drink a lot of water, chew sugar-free gum, and always keep up your brushing and flossing.

Happy Holiday and thanks for being our patients and friends!

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