While you have may many reasons to love this time of year, one of the best parts is the delicious food. Your new dentures allow you to eat and participate in the festivities with more confidence, but if you want to keep smiling throughout the entire holiday season and afterward, you may need to watch what you indulge in. Some holiday treats can sabotage your dentures and gums and increase your risk of getting an oral infection. Keep reading to learn what holiday foods you should not have and what is safe to eat.
Holiday Foods and Drinks to Avoid with Dentures
Although your dentures are not susceptible to tooth decay, you can still develop an oral infection if you aren’t careful about what you eat and drink. The sugar and carbohydrates you have can feed inflammation-causing bacteria in your mouth, leading to problems with your dentures. Here are some of the beverages and foods you should stay away from this holiday season.
Eggnog
Perhaps you look forward to indulging in a thick, creamy glass of eggnog, but this holiday favorite can actually be quite harmful for your restored smile. Alcohol tends to dehydrate your body, meaning your mouth will be less able to produce saliva, which rinses plaque and bits of food out of your mouth. Unfortunately, the cream combined with sugar creates a thick medium that can stick around your teeth, feeding bad bacteria long after you’ve finished drinking.
Caramel
As a popular flavor this time of year, caramel is sweet, but it can be difficult to get out of your mouth. It is sticky and can get into the crevices between your teeth, especially if it’s paired with popcorn, which can get underneath your dentures.
Candy Canes
Hard candy in general can be damaging to your smile because it allows sugar to remain in your mouth for long periods of time. Meanwhile, bad bacteria can feast on this sugar and form sticky plaque on your teeth. Once this plaque hardens, it can infect your gums.
Holiday Foods That Are Good with Dentures
The following foods are beneficial for your restored smile:
- Nuts: This common snack can actually scrub your dentures as you eat them, helping to keep plaque to a minimum.
- Fruits and vegetables: You can get necessary vitamins and minerals, like Vitamin C, which helps fight infections and inflammation, from fruits and vegetables.
- Cheese: The pH value of cheese can help balance out and counteract the inflammatory bacteria in your mouth.
In the end, you can still enjoy your favorite holiday treats, but now that you know which ones are particularly harmful, you can make better decisions. For instance, if you have eggnog, be sure you brush soon afterward to get the thick cream and sugar off your teeth. As a result, you can keep your dentures and gums healthy against infection into the new year and beyond.
About the Author
Dr. Mark Makram has been practicing in Naples since 1997 and has continued to improve his skills over the years. He has completed the Advanced Prosthetic and Surgical Program at Temple University and studied at the prestigious Misch International Implant Institute. If you would like to schedule an appointment to get new dentures or maintain the dentures you have, you can contact our office online or call us at 239-513-9990.
