Thanksgiving is fast approaching. Wouldn’t it be great to make it through the season with your oral health intact? It may be difficult to abstain from eating some holiday classics this season, but it’s worth it to keep your smile healthy and problem-free. To help you make your way through the Thanksgiving buffet with your teeth where they belong, here are five ways to have a healthy Thanksgiving in Louisville.
Tip #1: Limit Snacking
The amount of food you eat can have an adverse effect on your smile. When we eat, this throws off the pH levels in the mouth. As a result, the environment becomes more acidic than usual. So, when you snack on Thanksgiving delicacies throughout the day, this continuously exposes your teeth to harmful acids. Stick to eating during a designated mealtime to avoid unnecessary damage to your teeth.
Tip #2: Avoid Sticky Foods
Sticky foods like caramel and marshmallows are hard to remove from teeth and oral appliances like braces. The longer your teeth are exposed to these foods, the more bacteria will feed on them and cause damage to your pearly whites. If you aren’t careful, they may even dislodge crowns, fillings, or dentures.
Tip #3: Eat Less Sugar
Sugar and carb-heavy foods like stuffing and mashed potatoes give oral bacteria plenty to feed on. They will then produce acids that attack tooth enamel and raise your chances of developing cavities. Protect your teeth from harm by cutting back on cake, pie, and other sweet and high-carb treats.
Tip #4: Be Picky with What You Drink
Drinks like wine and eggnog contain acid, sugar, and alcohol that can damage your teeth by drying out your mouth and breaking down tooth enamel. To avoid making your teeth more susceptible to tooth decay, drink water or sugar-free beverages instead. If you decide to have red wine with your meal, follow it with a glass of water to wash harmful substances away.
Tip #5: Be Wary of Hard and Sharp Foods
Hard foods like nuts, candies, and popcorn can get caught between your teeth, stab your gums, become lodged in your restorations, weaken your enamel, or chip your pearly whites. If decide to eat any of these or other sharp or hard foods, have dental floss nearby so you can clean between your teeth afterward.
Oral health may not be the first thing on your mind this Thanksgiving, but it’s important to make your mouth’s wellbeing a priority. By doing so, you can keep oral health issues from developing for healthy teeth and gums all season long!
About the Practice
Remmers Dental is here to help you keep your teeth healthy and your smile bright this Thanksgiving. Dr. Stephen Remmers, Dr. Kenneth Remmers, Dr. Emily Brown, and their friendly team offer a number of preventive services to stop oral health issues in their tracks so you can enjoy the season to the fullest. To schedule an appointment or for more information on how to have a tooth-healthy Thanksgiving, visit Remmers Dental’s website or call their office at (502) 499-0234.
