Dec. '09 The 12 Health Hazards of Christmas

This time of year, everyone is worried about all of the foods, sweets and beverages that are part of holiday celebrations and the inevitable pounds they're going to add to their "bottom" line.

I don't mean to be a Grinch, but while you're worrying about your waistline, don't forget your smile!

Many of the food and drink we enjoy during the holidays can also be dangerous to our teeth, from either feeding the plaque on our teeth or threatening the tooth structure or existing restorations.

Plaque is a thin, invisible film of sticky bacteria and other materials that covers all the surfaces of all your teeth. When sugars or starches in your mouth come in contact with plaque, the acids that result can attack teeth for 20 minutes or more after you finish eating. Repeated attacks can break down the hard enamel on the surface of teeth, leading to tooth decay. Plaque also produces toxins that attack the gums and bone supporting the teeth.

So, what are some of the most dangerous holiday goodies to avoid?

Popcorn

Popcorn balls. Stringing popcorn garlands. Popcorn and the holidays go hand-in-hand. So do popcorn and tooth trouble. The little brown husks tend to get stuck in between back teeth and the gums causing abscesses and biting down on uncooked kernels can crack teeth.

Ice Cubes

What's more festive than the sound of ice tinkling in glasses? From cocktail parties to New Year's Eve celebrations, many of your beverages will be "on the rocks." While ice cubes are perfect for keeping your drink chilled, they're not good for chewing. Chewing on ice cubes can break teeth, especially back teeth with large fillings.

Caramels/Chewy Candy

Soft, chewy, caramel-based candies are delicious; they also tend to pull out dental work, especially dental work that is already loosened. Just avoid these temptations.

Candy Canes/Hard Candy

Candy canes on the tree. Traditional ribbon candy. Hard candy is a standard holiday sweet, but they are a threat to your teeth. First of all, these hard candies stay in your mouth longer, coating your teeth with sugar for an extended period of time. If you're tempted to bite them, you run the risk of breaking a tooth or a dental restoration.

Hint: If you eat sweets, go for those that clear out of your mouth quickly. Avoid the candy canes, caramels and ribbon candy . . . and go for the chocolate. No kidding! The sugars in chocolate are coated in fat, helping them slip easily out of your mouth.

Also it's best to eat sweets as dessert or part of a main meal instead of snacking on them several times a day. Saliva production increases during meals, which helps neutralize acid production and rinse food particles from the mouth. Whenever you eat sweets-in any meal or snack-brush your teeth well with a fluoride toothpaste afterward.

Chicken Salad

What? How can this be dangerous? It's soft! That's exactly why chicken salad makes the list. Because it's soft, people tend not to be too careful about biting into chicken salad. If a small piece of bone is accidentally left in the salad it can easily crack a tooth.

Fibrous Meat

Turkey. Prime rib. Holiday feasts feature meat, and fibrous pieces of meat can be dangerous if they become wedged between teeth. Sometimes they cause gum problems or even root caries if not quickly removed. Remember, after your holiday meal, brush and floss your teeth!

French Bread

French baguettes are often served with cheeses. While soft on the inside, the hard, crusty outside can be hard on crowns. Biting into them with delicate dental work can cause an accidental unseating of a crown or even can speed up the failure of a post and crown combination.

Starchy Carbohydrates

While we're on the subject of bread, be careful of ALL starchy carbs. These foods can get stuck in your teeth and linger in your mouth. (Think of a piece of potato chip or bread getting stuck in your teeth.) The longer that piece of carb is in your mouth, the longer sugar coats your teeth.

Soda & Carbonated Beverages

Besides being laden with sugar, most soft drinks contain phosphoric and citric acids that erode tooth enamel. To be safe, drink water. If you must drink a soda, drink water afterward to wash away any residual sugar.

Fruit Juice

Every holiday bar has a fruit juice as a mixer. If you're going to drink juice, whether straight or as part of an adult beverage, choose the whole fruits with lots of fiber and less sugar. Juices sometimes have added sugar, so they are more damaging to your teeth than the natural sugar in whole fruits.

Lemons

Served as a garnish in your drink or to flavor your seafood, lemons are found in food and beverages! Lemons are ok to eat, just don't suck on them! The very acidic juice will erode the enamel of your front teeth.

Alcohol

Last but not least, alcohol. Besides the obvious drawbacks associated with adult beverages, alcohol can dry out your mouth. If you're going to imbibe, be sure your mouth is plaque-free and drink plenty of water.

So, now that I've told you what not to do, I want to tell you what to do this holiday season.

Smile. Laugh. Enjoy. Celebrate with family and friends. Count your blessings. Cherish each memorable moment.

From my family to yours, I wish you a joyful holiday season and a healthy, fulfilling New Year.

Larry Winans, DMD

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