Sweet treats announce
the arrival of the holiday season, and if you and your family like to indulge
in sweet treats there are some that you should try to avoid, or at least enjoy
on occasion.
Sticky Candy
Gummy bears and those
delicious caramels that your Aunt Dottie always likes to send for Christmas may
be yummy, but they have a tendency to stick into the cracks and fissure on your
back teeth and between your teeth, and unfortunately that sticky candy can’t be
moved by your saliva. If you do enjoy, brush and rinse with water as soon as
you can.
Dried Fruit
Just like gooey
candy, dried fruit can stick to your teeth as well, and what’s worse, it will
stay there much longer after you have eaten that fig, dried apricot or dried
prune. Dried fruit may be good for your diet, but it doesn’t do much good for
your teeth. Brush after eating and if you must indulge, include your dried
fruit with the rest of a meal.
Hard Candy
Sourballs, butterscotch,
and those never-ending candy canes are great to suck on, but are literally
coating your teeth in a sugar bath. Hard candy can also chip and even break a
tooth. Keep hard candy to a minimum and if you must, don’t bite down.
Fruit Cake
Starchy foods are bad
enough for your teeth as the doughy goodness from that piece of bread or
scrumptious soft pretzel will stay with you. Add sticky fruit from your
Grandmothers favorite cranberry and fig bread to the mix and your teeth will
pay the price. Eat fruitcake and bread with a meal and rinse with water after
you enjoy.
Citrus
Oranges, limes,
grapefruit and lemons are abundant during the winter months, but that doesn’t
mean you should over-indulge. Citrus fruits are loaded with sugar and acid that
eat away at the enamel on your teeth. Try eating fruit as part of a meal and
never suck on a lemon.
If you are trying to
stay healthy by watching your weight over the holidays, make sure and pay attention
to your diet and your teeth and gums, and don’t forget to schedule an
appointment with your dentist for your regular dental checkup.
