Sugary treats, drinks, and snacks abound during the holiday season. We at Elite Dental Arts in Midtown want everyone to have a good time and would hate to see our patients develop tooth decay. We decided to provide a few tips that will keep everybody’s teeth safer while allowing them to enjoy toasts and feasts.
Tooth decay occurs when oral bacteria eat food debris and excrete acid. While highly sugary treats are not healthy, it is the length of time food remains in contact with teeth that determines how much decay could result. One of the most common sources of decay is sugary drinks, including pumpkin spice lattes, eggnog, apple cider, and wine. People typically consume them over a long time without sips of water in between, allowing sugary residue to accumulate. Hard candies are another problem, because of the amount of time they are in contact with teeth and because they cause the mouth to dry out, preventing saliva from washing sugar away. Starch can also be a food source for bacteria, so it’s important to not allow bits of food to remain stuck in the teeth while snacking over an extended period.
People produce the most saliva during meals, so it’s best to limit sticky and sugary foods to then. Even at times when you can’t brush right away, you can try chewing sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva production and pull away food particles. Xylitol-flavored hard candies are tooth-friendlier than sugary ones. As for drinks, you can eliminate residue by alternating with swigs of water. If you are going somewhere without fluoridated water, you could bring some along in bottles.
Nick M. Mobilia, DDS
ELITE DENTAL ARTS
9 East 45th Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10017
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