Treating Your Teeth Right on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a day dedicated to family, gratefulness, and perhaps most importantly, food. Indulging in some turkey, sides, and delicious desserts shouldn’t be something you hold back on during this food-centered holiday, but you should be conscious about how you can look out for your teeth-- after all, they’ll be hard at work.

A great way to prepare your smile for Thanksgiving festivities is bringing along some floss. Keeping floss handy can keep your teeth from food buildup as you switch between appetizers, main dishes, sides, desserts, and a drink or two. Freshen up between each course to best protect your teeth.

Some Thanksgiving foods with a high sugar content are unfortunately known to do some damage to teeth, contributing to things like tooth decay and cavities. If you’re looking to avoid issues like these, pass on items like pies, cakes, and cranberry sauce. If you’re looking to indulge, be sure to wash the sweets down with a glass of water and give your teeth a good brush at the end of the night.

Although less commonly known, starchy sides like cornbread, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and dinner rolls cause similar problems for the health of your teeth. Starches eventually convert over to sugars, which feed harmful mouth bacteria that can cause cavities. Stickier starches like soft dinner rolls can also get stuck between your teeth- water, floss, and a good brush are recommended in these instances as well.

Filling your plate up with protein and fiber-filled foods like turkey--the star of the show-- and whatever vegetable sides are available is the best way to protect your teeth over the holiday. The fibers present in vegetables strengthen the gums, and protein in turkey helps to protect and rebuild tooth enamel. Be sure to limit the amount of gravy you pour on top of each.

Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving and enjoy the feast!