The holiday season is here again to bring families and friends together so they can celebrate the past, enjoy the present, and toast to the future. While they are certainly a lovely time for people young and old, holiday gatherings can often involve traditional beverages that are hard on your teeth. Here are three beverages to enjoy in moderation to protect your dental health during the holidays.
Red Wine Can Turn Your Teeth Purple
Red wine is an ancient beverage that has been used to commemorate special occasions for thousands of years. It is renowned for its robust, biting flavor, its dark yet warm color, and the way it pairs amazingly well with beef and lamb. While this makes it an ideal beverage for celebrations, it is also high in acid and pigment. The acid in wine begins weakening the enamel as soon as it makes contact with teeth, and this makes it easier for the pigments to become stuck to their surface. The teeth of people who drink red wine frequently without practicing proper oral hygiene can turn slightly purple over time due to stains.
Hot Chocolate Is Super Sugary
Hot chocolate is a celebrated holiday beverage because of its satisfying, creamy texture and ability to warm a cold body on a chilly night. Unfortunately, its distinctly sweet flavor comes from a high sugar content. Sugar feeds the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease, and drinking hot chocolate coats the inside of your mouth with the stuff. To discourage oral infections, you might try to go with a dark chocolate variety with a lower sugar content.
Eggnog Is Acidic, Sugary, and Can Give You Bad Breath
Eggnog is a traditional yuletide beverage that is used in holiday toasts across the world, but it can be a triple threat to your oral health. Eggnog contains alcohol, which makes it slightly acidic and corrosive to your enamel. It’s also high in sugar which will feed the germs that cause oral infections. To add insult to injury, the dairy products in eggnog can form sulfur compounds in your mouth, giving you bad breath.
Enjoying a tasty beverage is a part of celebrating the holidays. Be sure to enjoy these drinks in moderation and drink plenty of water alongside them. Continuing to practice excellent oral hygiene will do much to keep your teeth healthy and strong during and after the holidays.
About the Author
Dr. Dhavalkumar Rana earned his doctorate at the prestigious New York University, and he has mastered a wide variety of advanced dental procedures. He serves as a member of the American Dental Association, the Texas Dental Association, and the Dallas County Dental Association. His office in Mesquite, TX offers general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. For more information on keeping your teeth healthy during the holidays, contact his office online or dial (469) 399-7288.