Holidays are packed with parties and merry making. Just imagining the yummy spread makes my mouth water. Before diving in, take a moment to think about your teeth. Are they going to pay the price for all that mindless grazing?
What does it take to be kind to your teeth this holiday season? Let’s take a look at the top five tooth traps at a party:
Alcohol
Parties come with more than their fair share of beer, liquor and wine. The bad news is that alcohol dries out the mouth so there is not enough saliva to wash away food particles and maintain a healthy acidity level in your mouth. Wines (both white and red) consumed in excess can also wear away enamel and discolor the teeth.
Carbonated Drinks
Even if you decide to abstain from alcohol at holiday parties, other dangers continue to lurk. Carbonated beverages or juices are known for their bubbly fizz, but it is that characteristic that can damage your teeth. The concentrated sugars in these drinks coat your teeth and react with the bacteria in your mouth to produce acid. Prolonged exposure to these acids can corrode the enamel and cause extreme sensitivity.
Starchy food
Potato chips are full of starch, very addictive and have a tendency to get wedged between your teeth. As you chomp on delicious white-bread sandwiches, pasta and pizzas (all equally high on starch), they cling to your teeth, making it difficult for the saliva to wash away food particles.
Gummy Candies
Holiday parties are not complete without candy adorning the tables. Gummy chewy candy tends to stick to the teeth and takes a long time to melt away. The onslaught of acids on your teeth is unimaginable!
Desserts
A party is not complete without a nice slice of pie, but try to limit your indulgence to one slice. Pies, cakes, cookies, ice cream, eggnog and brownies are all rich in sugars and starches. These two ingredients are gooey and clingy, coat your teeth for hours and make you a prime candidate for tooth decay!
