The Best and Worst Christmas Foods for Your Smile

24 Dec The Best and Worst Christmas Foods for Your Smile

Before you gather around for your Christmas parties and eat the delicious foods, it’s best to think about the different types of foods that are beneficial and harmful for your smile. However, we know this might be a difficult task if you’re not sure what to look for, so we are happy to help you by listing the best and worst Christmas foods for your smile:

The Best Foods

· Gingerbread: Gingerbread is a great treat to snack on this Christmas, especially because it does not contain the significant amount of sugar most other Christmas breads do. Even though it does not contain the same amount of sugar, it is no less delicious.
· Turkey: Turkey is lean and healthy, and it is full of beneficial nutrients, like phosphorus, that promote strong and healthy teeth.
· Nuts: Nuts also contain beneficial nutrients and vitamins, like magnesium, iron, and calcium. These compounds work together to help you have strong teeth. Nuts also help produce additional saliva, which is beneficial because the liquid washes the bacteria from your smile and it also neutralizes corrosive acids in your mouth.

The Worst Foods

· Sweets: It’s no surprise that sweets are extremely harmful to your smile, especially sticky sweets. However, it is OK to consume Christmas treats in moderation, just please try to avoid the sticky sweets and do your best to drink plenty of water and brush your teeth often.
· Citrus foods: Citrus foods, like oranges and tangerines, are extremely harmful for your smile because the acid they contain can erode your tooth enamel over time. Now, we know these fruits are commonly found in the Christmas stockings, which is fine, but you need to make sure that you take care of your teeth after you have eaten these acidic foods.
· Wine: Red and white wine both have erosive acids that allow stains from other foods and drinks to penetrate more deeply. These drinks also have tooth-discoloring pigments and they dry out the mouth and make the teeth sticky, which worsens the staining process. So, if you want a white, bright smile this Christmas, avoid the wine.

If you have any questions about the best and worst Christmas foods and drinks for your smile, call our office today! We are happy to help you in any way we can.