Christmas is here! It is a very beautiful time, where we get together with our loved ones and celebrate. However, on these dates we eat very different foods than usual, and there are certain Christmas foods that damage teeth for different reasons (because of their hardness, because of their large amount of sugar, because they are sticky…). At Advance we have seen more than one case of dental problems due to this type of food.
For this reason, in today’s blog we want to explain some of the Christmas foods that damage teeth and what you can do to avoid it.
4 Christmas foods that can damage your teeth
Nougat. A very high percentage of the population eats nougat at Christmas, since it is one of the most classic sweets. However, it is very harmful to our teeth. Almond nougat does not contain much sugar, but its hardness means that we can suffer a dental fracture. However, the Jijona or chocolate nougat is softer, so we do not run the risk of breaking a piece, although the risk of cavities does increase. To avoid this, it is recommended to reduce the consumption of hard nougat and, in the case of doing so, bite with the molars and not with the incisors. As for the softer nougats, our recommendation is to brush your teeth immediately after eating them, to eliminate any risk of sugar in the teeth.
Sweets in general. The same thing happens with Christmas sweets as with soft nougat: its high sugar content encourages the appearance of cavities. To avoid this, as with nougat, you have to brush your teeth very well after eating them to remove any trace of sugar.
Refreshments. Even if you take great care of your diet, it is likely that at Christmas you will have a drink. It must be borne in mind that carbonated drinks are acidic and contain a high amount of sugar, which usually leads to decalcification of tooth enamel. We recommend avoiding this type of drink as much as possible, and if you consume it, brush your teeth afterwards.
Shellfish. Seafood is another food that can cause dental fractures. Many people try to consume shellfish by breaking the shell with their teeth, something that in addition to breaking a piece can damage the fillings. We recommend using specific utensils to break the shell of the shellfish.
As you can see, there are a multitude of foods that we regularly eat on these dates and that can damage our teeth. To avoid this, in addition to following the recommendations that we have told you just above, it is necessary to go to the dentist at least once a year to carry out an oral health evaluation. Request your appointment here.
