TIPS FOR A CAVITY-FREE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY Thanksgiving is a wonderful time when friends and family come together and give thanks for the many blessings of the year. In the United States, Thanksgiving is often accompanied by a meal filled with our favorite foods: turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and who could forget the pie! While enjoying your Thanksgiving feast, please remember these tips to help you have a cavity-free holiday. First, limit sweets and other sugary foods to mealtimes only. During mealtimes, we produce more saliva, which can help rinse away sugary food particles and neutralize the acids produced by the bacteria in our mouths in response to sugary foods.
remove any lingering sticky foods from the teeth. Third, remember to pair your festive holiday drink with a glass of water. Alcohol can dry out the mouth, limiting the cleansing and neutralizing benefits of our saliva. Water helps rehydrate the mouth and helps provide some of the same acid reducing benefits as saliva. Fourth, be careful when biting on hard foods such as nuts and hard candies which can put your teeth at risk for breaking or chipping. Broken or chipped teeth may require dental treatment, such as bonding or crowns to repair. Lastly, watch out for starchy foods.
While these tips may leave you wondering what you can eat, the answer is – lots of things! Lean proteins, such as poultry or fish, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat or fat-free dairy foods are great choices. If you enjoy snacking, make nutritious choices – such as cheese, yogurt, fruits, and vegetables. These healthier habits will not only improve the health of your teeth but your overall health as well. But if the lure of cherry pie and candied yams is just too irresistible, be sure to
Starchy foods tend to get trapped in
drink plenty
Sticky foods, such as dried fruits and
between the teeth while we eat and can
of water
pie, adhere to our teeth stronger and
lead to plaque build-up. To keep our
afterwards
longer than other types of foods.
teeth and gums healthy, it is important
and brush
In order to keep teeth healthy, it is
to floss daily to remove the food
and floss
important to brush after meals to
particles trapped between the teeth.
well!!
Second, be mindful of sticky foods.
Dr. Kristina Chandler practices at Cheek Dental here in East Cobb. You may contact her at 770-993-3775 or visit www.cheekdental.com.
2872 Johnson Ferry Road • 770-993-3775 • www.cheekdental.com
P A I D A D V E R T I S E M E N T
www.eastcobber.com
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