Arguably one of the best things about the holiday season is the cornucopia of delicious food to enjoy with friends and family. In good company, presented with a seemingly endless spread of homemade dishes, it can be easy to overindulge and find yourself more stuffed than the turkey! By that point, the only thing on your mind is finding a good place to nap. This can be a worst-case scenario for your teeth. Depending on what you ate during the family feast, bacteria could be wreaking havoc on your teeth and gums while you comfortably snooze through the afternoon.
One easy solution is to simply brush and floss your teeth at least 30 minutes after eating. However, we often travel to relatives’ homes for the holidays and don’t have immediate access to our personal oral hygiene equipment unless it was packed beforehand. What then?
A great option is to know which common holiday foods are good (or bad!) for your oral health, so you know what is fine to eat now, and what might be best to take back home for later. That’s why we’re ranking the top 10 holiday foods from worst to best in terms of their dental decay risk. The holidays are fast-approaching, so let’s get started:
10. Sweet Potato Casserole – Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamins and fiber, but when they’re mashed up, mixed with sugar, and topped with toasted, gooey marshmallows, they become a dessert that will almost certainly stick to teeth.
9. Cranberry Sauce – While cranberries are good for the mouth, thanks to their concentration of beneficial polyphenols, the added sugars often found in store-bought cranberry sauces can outweigh the benefits. Not to mention the fruit’s deep red/purple color having the potential to stain your teeth (and clothes, if you’re not careful)!
8. Mac and Cheese – Unfortunately, this savory and creamy dish is not kind to teeth. Often loaded with cheese, butter, and cream, it's a recipe for bacteria growth and tooth decay.
7. Deviled Eggs – Deviled eggs are a good source of protein, but they're often made with mayonnaise, which is high in fat and can contribute to the buildup of harmful bacteria in the mouth. Some recipes also include pickles or relish which add acidity, another cause of tooth decay.
6. Cornbread – Cornbread is often made with sugar, flour, and butter, which can all contribute to the buildup of harmful bacteria in the mouth. On the other hand, the gritty texture of cornmeal can help “scrub” away other harmful food particles.
5. Stuffing – While not the most nutritious of foods, stuffing isn't particularly bad for your teeth. Just be sure to avoid brands with added sugar, or even better, make your own!
4. Mashed Potatoes – Mashed potatoes can be one of the healthier side dishes when made with low-fat milk and less butter. However, the soft, starchy texture can still cling to teeth, so be sure to rinse your mouth after eating!
3. Pumpkin Pie – Pumpkin pie is a holiday classic, but it contains sugar, refined flour, and butter. However, it's still better for teeth than other desserts as it contains fiber and vitamin A, which are beneficial to oral health.
2. Green Bean Casserole – Green beans themselves are a teeth-friendly food, but the traditional casserole recipe includes cream of mushroom soup and fried onions that are high in fat and sugar.
1. Roast Turkey – As far as meat goes, turkey is a relatively low-fat protein and won't do any serious damage to teeth as long as it's not overcooked and dried out.
This ranking is by no means telling you what you can and cannot eat, but simply arming you with the knowledge of what some of our favorite holiday foods can do to our teeth when left unchecked. If you are looking forward to sampling everything you can at your next holiday feast, here are our recommendations:
Indulging in delicious holiday foods is a highlight of the season, but it's important to be mindful of their impact on our oral health. Knowing which foods are more likely to cause dental decay can help us make informed choices. From our rankings, it's clear that some holiday favorites like sweet potato casserole and cranberry sauce may not be the best options for our teeth. By taking easy and effective measures to protect your teeth, you can enjoy the holiday season to the fullest while still maintaining good oral health. Happy holidays and bon appétit!