Show Your Teeth Some Love This Valentine’s Day

Blue Ash Dental • February 11, 2019

The winter holidays are known for not only great foods. They often lead to a lot of sweet treats. It is a time when we spend a lot of time with our family and friends, savoring pies, cakes, and more. These “food-friendly” holidays start with Halloween when kids go out in search of candies and even parents get to enjoy a bite. It continues through until Valentine’s Day when one of the most given gifts is heart-shaped boxes with delicious chocolates inside. All this holiday fun is great for showing your family how much you love them, but it can be devastating to your weight and your teeth. Blue Ash Dental Group cannot help you with the scale, but we can help you ensure that you show your teeth some love this Valentine’s Day.

Good Foods to Eat for Your Teeth

We all splurge a little on special holidays and occasions. There is nothing wrong with it and we encourage everyone to enjoy themselves when they get the chance. However, think of it as one day of splurging on junk foods means that you should try to eat healthier foods in between the holidays. You may also consider adding some of them to your holiday buffets. Cheese is healthy food for your teeth, and it works great for a snack platter. The same is true for apples, carrots, celery, and almonds. You can also eat a little yogurt in the days following a holiday, and of course, leafy green vegetables are always a good choice as well. After you enjoy your sweet treats, you must put in the effort to counteract some of the damage that can potentially leave behind.

The good news is, you do not have to avoid all types of candies this Valentine’s Day. If you opt to eat dark chocolate, you may actually be doing a good thing for your teeth! This is great news for chocolate lovers worldwide! According to Dr. Brian Witt, a Temple Terrace FL dentist, dark chocolate can also increase your teeths sensitivity to sugar – be sure to not eat too much.

If you prefer to drink your way to a healthier mouth, you can include more of the following, non-acidic drinks. They include:

*Milk

*Water (especially water with fluoride)

*Unsweetened Tea

Each of these drinks can help your dental health by protecting the enamel, which is the hard, outer layer of your teeth.

Foods You Should Avoid

When we think of dental health, we typically understand that anything sugary is bad for our teeth. This includes hard candies because they are loaded with sugar, but it can go beyond the sugary treats. Other things to keep in mind is that too much citrus can deteriorate tooth enamel, sticky foods (even dried fruit) will stay on the teeth longer, and overly crunchy foods can also cause you major issues.

You may think that since there are no food particles, you can drink them safely, but sugar filled drinks can also cause issues for your teeth. Even some drinks that may look safe can cause decay. Even ice is bad for your dental health, even though it is made of pure water and doesn’t contain sugar. Coffee isn’t bad for your teeth, but when you add a little sugar, it can become a problem. It can also stain your teeth if you drink it often. Sports drinks are also something you should consider avoiding if you want to keep your mouth healthy. Of course, the most dangerous thing for your teeth beyond soda is adult beverages. Wine is better than hard liquor, but all of them can lead to tooth decay because of the high sugar content. This can also lead to bad breath, which is a Valentine’s Day mood killer.

We Can Help

At Blue Ash Dental Group, we understand that living life means enjoying all the sweetest moments. If you are concerned about your dental health or feel the need to show your teeth a little more love, we are here for you. Simply contact us to schedule an appointment to ensure that your mouth is truly kissable after the holidays.

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