Celebrate Thanksgiving Without Sacrificing Oral Health

The Thanksgiving holiday revolves around family, fun and food, and while it can be a very fulfilling day for most, the overload of food you consume can cause long-term side effects for your dental health. While the pumpkin pie, candied yams and cranberry sauce makes everything taste better, these and other sugary foods that you find on Thanksgiving can lead to a sugar overload that attacks your tooth enamel and teeth. While it’s perfectly fine to eat these foods, it’s important that you maintain a good oral hygiene routine that will keep your teeth free from decay-causing plaque. Follow these dental tips to keep your teeth healthy this Thanksgiving!

Fun Facts About Thanksgiving

While many families in the United States celebrate Thanksgiving, those celebrations may look different from house to house. Depending on your culture, customs and food tastes, you may have the common Thanksgiving turkey at your table this year. However, your main dish may be spaghetti and meatballs, like many Italian families do. Studies show that the main dishes and side dishes vary depending on what part of the country you live in. Midwesterners love green bean casserole for their Thanksgiving sides, while New England homes feature specific types of rolls. It all depends on your family and how you celebrate the holiday!

Centuries ago, Thanksgiving wasn’t even a holiday. It was first celebrated in the year 1621, and instead of a Thanksgiving meal one day of the week, it was a 3-day holiday with whatever food was available. A turkey was likely not even served at the first Thanksgiving, but soon became a staple of Thanksgiving in modern times. This time of the year also wasn’t nationally-recognized until President Abraham Lincoln came around, where he declared it a national holiday.

Pies, Side Dishes and More!

No matter how your family celebrates this holiday season, food is almost always involved. Some of the most popular Thanksgiving foods include the turkey, stuffing, pumpkin and pecan pie, and gravy made from scratch. However, Insider magazine found through surveys that some of the most popular side dishes and main dishes across the United States are these ones (in order): 

1. Mashed Potatoes
2. Stuffing
3. Macaroni and Cheese
4. Rolls
5. Cranberry Sauce
6. Green Bean Casserole
7. Sweet Potatoes/Sweet Potato Casserole
8. Brussel Sprouts
9. Creamed Spinach
10. Candied Yams
11. Glazed Carrots
12. Corn

Desserts didn’t even make this list, but it’s clear that many families will have a signature pie around their table this year. The Huffington Post reports that the most popular Thanksgiving pies in U.S. households include: 

• Apple Pie (20%)
• Strawberry (19%)
• Pumpkin Pie (16%)
• Cherry (13%)
• Blueberry (9%)
• Pecan Pie (8%)
• Lemon Meringue (8%)
• Chocolate Pie (5%)

Sugar, Acidic Foods and More

Studies and reports from the National Institutes of Health show that tooth decay is the most prevalent chronic disease among children and adults. That’s despite the fact that gum disease affects more than 64.7 million American adults. Just imagine how many millions must have tooth decay! What does this have to do with Thanksgiving food? Everything, actually!

All foods and drinks you put in your mouth will have an effect on your teeth and gums. Your teeth are made of hard-packed minerals like calcium and phosphate, but those minerals wear away and decay based on the foods and drinks you consume, especially if those are sugary or acidic items! When you eat, bacteria in your mouth immediately goes to work to break down your food for digestion. However, other types of bacteria will mix with sugars in your food to create plaque. This is a sticky, acidic substance that sticks to the teeth. The acid will work to break up minerals and create dead spaces in the teeth, which are known as “cavities”. 

The more sugary substances you consume, the more plaque your mouth makes, and the more likely you are to have decayed teeth and gum disease. That is a disease where the gums become irritated, pulling away from the teeth, or they become inflamed and diseased to the point where the teeth fall out. You can avoid both by eating the right foods each day and being more careful with food and drink intake during the holidays!

Celebrate Thanksgiving Without Sacrificing Oral Health

So what can you do? Here are general oral health tips to avoid tooth decay and gum disease: 

• Brush the teeth at least twice a day, for 2 minutes at a time, especially before bed. 
• Visit the dentist at least twice a year for comprehensive exams and dental cleanings, as recommended by the American Dental Association.
• Floss 1-2 times a day, especially after large meals.
• Limit sugar intake to create less plaque.
• Avoid tobacco and alcohol products, which are very harsh on the teeth.

During this Thanksgiving, try out some of these tips: 

• Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and/or use a fluoride mouthrinse 30 minutes prior to your Thanksgiving meal. Fluoride is a naturally-occurring mineral that acts as a shield against acids that erode the teeth. Especially do this if you plan on having soda or apple cider all Thanksgiving long. 
• Wait 20-30 minutes to brush your teeth after your Thanksgiving meal and subsequent snacking. Sugars will break down into acidic plaque on the teeth for about 30 minutes after you eat. Acidic drinks and citrus fruits will also leave active acids on the teeth for about that long. Wait to brush so you don’t brush away extra enamel. 
• Limit your sugary foods! Maybe choose gravy instead of loading up on cranberry sauce. Or just have one dessert instead of five. Drink water or milk instead of juice if you want to use your sugar calories elsewhere. 
• Call your dentist and ask for specific tips for oral health diseases and how to eat right during the holidays. You can do this by calling Glacier Creek Dental today at (970) 267-0993!