Sticky Treats Mean Sticky Teeth!

After Thanksgiving dinner, everyone looks forward to dessert.  Your teeth; however, may not enjoy the sweets as much as you do.  It is important to know the strain your dessert puts on your teeth.

Pecan pie is one of the most popular pies of the season.  Corn syrup is the main ingredient and makes the pie sweet.  However, it also clings to teeth and promotes plaque buildup and decay.

Popcorn balls are a popular snack.  The sticky caramel hangs on your teeth.  Popcorn kernels can uncomfortably wedge into the gaps between teeth, causing bacteria to feast on the stuck food.

Chewy candy is rough on teeth.  It pulls on and damages teeth and fillings.  Chewy candy also fills crevices in the teeth, sticks where it is hard to clean, and decays teeth.

Candy canes appear during the holidays.  Sucking hard candy prolongs the teeth’s exposure to sugar.  It leaves a sticky, sugary coating on teeth.  Crunching candy canes wedges sugar chunks between the teeth and gums.  Sugar breeds bacteria and plaque that breaks down teeth.

Candied yams are often a part of Thanksgiving dinner.  Many recipes call for six cups of sugar or more, nearly 35-38 grams of sugar per serving.  That is over the recommended sugar intake for the day.

It is important to be conscious of your oral health while enjoying your favorite Thanksgiving treats.  Schedule a cleaning with Carolina Smiles Dentistry.  Your dentist will answer any questions about your daily oral health needs. 

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