Thanksgiving is just around the corner, making this an ideal time to reflect on the past year, express gratitude for the many things you’re thankful for, and enjoy spending quality time with family and friends.
But many people look forward to this time of year largely because of the many delicious desserts is brings, such as candy canes or pumpkin pie. Unfortunately, sugary treats attract harmful bacteria that cause cavities, gum disease, and chronic bad breath. You can avoid these potential problems by trying 3 smile-friendly desserts that are less likely to hurt your smile!
Option #1: Dark Chocolate
You’re not alone if you look forward to candy canes in the autumn. These twisted spirals of color come in different options, ranging from traditional mint to newer fruit flavors to appeal to your sweet tooth. However, these hard candies contain lots of sugar, which contributes to tooth decay, and can also chip, crack, or break your enamel if you bite or chew them.
If you’re seeking an after-dinner sweet, you might indulge in a piece of dark chocolate instead. It usually contains less sugar than milk chocolate, and it melts in your mouth to avoid damaging your teeth. If your chocolate contains 70% cocoa or higher, it might even provide additional health benefits because it contains nutrients, such as iron, magnesium, and fiber, and can potentially benefit blood flow or increase brain function.
Option #2: Flavored Tea
As the weather cools down, certain beverages, like mulled wine, schnapps, or eggnog, become more popular. Although alcohol might help you feel cozy inside, it also has high sugar content and is acidic enough to erode your enamel. Repeated or frequent exposure can cause decay, disease, or other damage.
That means reducing alcohol consumption can help protect your smile over the holidays, but you might feel like you’re missing out on your favorite seasonal drinks. Thankfully, it’s usually easy to find teas with cinnamon, mint, ginger, citrus, or other festive flavors to help warm you on chilly autumn days while preserving your oral health.
Option #3: Specialty Cheese
You might not think of cheese as a smile-friendly dessert, but this dairy product comes in a variety of textures and flavors, so you can find sweeter, creamier options to enjoy after dinner. For instance, gouda sometimes has smoky or caramel-like undertones, and ricotta might taste naturally sweet because of lingering milk sugars in the product.
Specialty cheese can be an elegant way to wrap up your meal and satisfy your taste buds, and because it contains dairy, it also has lots of calcium to help strengthen your teeth and bones.
Feel free to think outside the box to come up with additional food swaps that can help you enjoy all the traditional flavors of Thanksgiving while preserving a beautiful, healthy smile!
Meet the Author
Dr. Rupeshwar Renkuntla is passionate about helping patients build and maintain the happiest, healthiest versions of their smiles. After graduating in India with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery, he moved to the U.S. and earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Oklahoma. Today, he offers a complete menu of services, including routine exams and cleanings, using advanced technology to meet the unique needs of people of all ages. You can request an appointment on the website or by calling (817) 989-2832.