Christmas Treats are Bad for Your Teeth

Christmas time is around the corner and during this holiday, there are many treats that are consumed. Even cookies are baked and left out for Santa Clause and gingerbread houses are made with children of all ages. Other Christmas treats to look forward to during this season are pepper mint bark and yule logs. All of these Christmas treats contain a lot of sugar, making these sweet treats desirable. But, the sweeter and sugary the treats, the more it is bad for your teeth. Let’s take a closer look at why sugary foods can damage your teeth and how to prevent it.

Sugar Damages Teeth

There are many types of foods that you eat that contain sugar. The sugar that we identify as sweeteners is sucrose and is the most familiar form of “sugar” to home bakers. However, there are other types of sugars from foods and carbohydrates. Common forms of sugars found in foods are: fructose, corn syrup, galactose, glucose, lactose, and maltose. The different forms of sugars can damage the teeth. The sugar from the sweet treats and other foods you eat can build up on your teeth causing plaque. The plaque if left uncleaned can be changed to acids by bacteria in the mouth. The acid produced then dissolves the enamel of the teeth and damages it. This process is called tooth decay. It is known that high sugary foods can contribute to tooth decay. Significant tooth decay with regular loss of enamel can lead to cavities and tooth sensitivity. The teeth sensitivity can become painful when the inner layers of the teeth are exposed.

Tips to Prevent Tooth Decay

There are ways you can still enjoy sweet treats during the Christmas holidays without causing major tooth decay. You can use a straw to drink sugary drinks, so your teeth are less exposed to the sugar and acid in the drink. You can also choose to drink water instead of drinking a sugary option. You can also try to space out the sweets to help lessen the exposure of sugar on the teeth. Hydrating with water between sweets can also assist with washing down sugar residue on teeth. Another helpful tip is chewing some xylitol gum to reduce the bacteria in the mouth to decrease the number. You can also use a mouth rinse to neutralize the acid by increasing the pH in the mouth and reduce tooth decay.

Always remember to properly brush and clean your teeth at least two times a day with a fluoride toothpaste. Schedule your regular appointment with your family dentist to have your checkup and reduce your chances of tooth decay. Give our dental professionals at California Dental Group a call at (800) 407-0161 if you have any questions on sugary foods or to make a checkup appointment.