Dental Tips for a Happy Thanksgiving

Dental Tips for a Happy Thanksgiving St Pete Dentist

Dental Tips for a Happy Thanksgiving

There’s something comforting about Thanksgiving – the gift of family and friends, as well as a nice heartwarming meal together with classic Thanksgiving staple dishes. However, it is essential to take care of your dental health during this holiday. Today on the blog, our Dentist in St. Petersburg shares dental tips for a happy Thanksgiving.

Dental Tips for Thanksgiving From 4th Street Family Dentistry

Of course, we must also be kind with our teeth and gums, which can take a hammering over the holiday season. Below, Dr. Brain Leeson, the best dentist in St. Petersburg, shares straightforward techniques for Thanksgiving.

Reduce Sugar Consumption

Thanksgiving dinners are well-known for their high sugar content. It doesn’t matter if it’s pecan pie or cranberry sauce. However, avoiding or reducing the excess sugar in these recipes would have the reverse impact, benefiting your teeth.

According to the California Dental Association, avoiding, limiting, or substituting sugar with sugar substitutes such as xylitol and erythritol, which do not induce tooth decay, is an effective approach. When eating sweet meals and desserts, use portion management. After that, our dentist 33704 rinse your mouth with water to remove any sugar or food particles that may have stuck to your teeth or gums.

Watch Your Starchy Meal Intake

Our dentist in St. Pete explains starchy meals are quiet tooth destroyers. They don’t appear to be hazardous at first glance, but starch transforms into sugar, which feeds the bacteria in your mouth. Breaded stuffing, mashed potatoes, potato chips, cornbread, and dinner rolls are popular offenders, and this issue may be rectified by complementing them with fiber and protein items.

Enjoy A Well-Balanced Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving dinners aren’t all horrible. There is a wide variety of healthy food options to choose from. This includes leafy greens high in calcium, fruits, and vegetables high in various vitamins and minerals that are good for your teeth and gums. Another example, St. Petersburg FL dentist explains that raw carrots that make natural teeth cleansers, and turkey aids in tooth development.

Choose Your Snacks Wisely

It’s not just the Thanksgiving feast that might harm your teeth; it’s also the snacks you eat throughout the day. Instead of sweet cookies and candies, eat nuts, dry fruits, and cheese to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Our friends over at College Hill Dental, Easton PA Dentist, explain that assorted nuts are another fantastic snack since they help to strengthen your teeth. Chewing the nuts stimulates saliva production, which washes away dangerous germs and helps to prevent tooth decay.

Maintain Good Dental Hygiene

Brush and floss your teeth as usual on Thanksgiving Day, and increase your regimen if necessary. There is no such thing as being too careful when it comes to your oral health.

When eating acidic foods, however, wait at least half an hour before brushing your teeth. After a meal, you can sip water, chew gum, and floss.

On D-day, you can use toothpicks instead of brushing, flossing, or chewing gum. It is effective for removing sticky food particles and loosening plaque buildup, but you must be careful not to injure your gums in the process.

Schedule a Dental Cleaning With 4th Street Family Dentistry

Finally, schedule a post-Thanksgiving day appointment with your dentist for a checkup and teeth cleaning. It also allows your dentist to identify and address any dental concerns that arise early on.

Contact 4th St Family Dentistry today to book your cleaning!