Thanksgiving is an occasion to enjoy food, family, and maybe some football, as well. It’s not breaking news that there are a lot of sugary and starchy items that can give your teeth some trouble, so it’s helpful to have a plan.
Keep reading to get some tips from your dentist in Collinsville about how to have a healthy Thanksgiving. In fact, you can carry over this advice to dining for any other occasion.
Try to Control Your Sugar Intake
Sugar is problematic when it lingers in your mouth since it fuels bacteria. The sugars are converted to acids which weaken your enamel. Dessert is obviously a suspect here, but cranberry sauce and the marshmallows found in sweet potato casserole shouldn’t be overlooked either. Besides reducing the sugar you consume, brushing your teeth after meals makes an enormous difference.
Choose Your Beverages Carefully
Red wine is a frequent choice among adults on holiday occasions, while various fruit juices might be popular at the kids’ table. Taste aside, choices like these are highly acidic to make life tough on your teeth. Drinks with sugar or alcohol also cause dry mouth, but your oral health is counting on you to produce saliva to remove food particles from your teeth and gums. Try drinking water throughout the day, especially if you partake in these other beverages.
Avoid Sticky Foods
There’s definitely some carryover here from the sugar section, as candied pecans, caramel, and marshmallows all make Thanksgiving tasty but they overstay their welcome with your teeth. These items linger to keep sugar on your enamel, and the ensuing sticky residue produces plaque buildup. This, in turn, facilitates tooth decay, cavities, gum disease, and other oral health problems. You can see why brushing your teeth after meals is so important.
Beware of Sharp or Hard Foods
The battle against plaque may be tougher to see as it’s happening, but if you bite into something in this category too hastily it could result in bleeding gums or a cracked tooth. At the Thanksgiving table, watch out for items like turkey bones or nuts in your favorite pie variety. Items of a harder texture can also be tougher to remove if they become lodged in your dentures or braces. It never hurts to have some dental floss or a toothpick handy to deal with any problematic food items.
Try to Set and Maintain Particular Eating Times
This tip is to get you away from the approach to nibble and snack at the food table all day long. If you aren’t brushing after each snack or small meal, your teeth and gums will be constantly exposed to plaque-producing substances. When you space out your eating times, your saliva has a better opportunity to protect your teeth by washing away food particles. On Thanksgiving, other than the big sitdown with your family, allow yourself to eat 1-2 more times. That makes it more feasible you’d be able to brush your teeth after each meal.
When you aren’t thinking about this in advance, it’s easier to get busy helping with or enjoying the Thanksgiving festivities and lose sight of your oral health. Practice makes perfect when you set a plan for yourself on any big occasion with friends and family!
About the Practice
At Collinsville Dental Associates, we have strived to provide area patients of all ages with comfortable, comprehensive dentistry for more than 30 years now. The difference these days is that we are now a four-dentist team better equipped to offer an array of services and quality care to families. We’ll stay on top of state-of-the-art dentistry, but you can always count on that small-town atmosphere where every patient is a priority. We know how challenging it can be to make smart food choices during the holiday season, but your teeth will be thankful for it. We’ll be here to help – be sure to visit us for a dental cleaning and exam so we can make sure you are doing great heading into the New Year! To make an appointment, visit our website or call (276) 647-1494.