By: Shelly Tretsven, Eggert Family Dentistry Hygienist
I am a foodie, I confess. As a dental hygienist I have had the opportunity to talk about nutrition, recipes and good eats with patients for over 30 years. Food is truly a universal language.
The holiday season is upon us which is a great opportunity for good food and good company.
Food and Oral Health:
Food provides the nutrients for healthy bodies and healthy mouths. It’s important to eat a well balanced diet of protein, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and plenty of water. Your food choices matter in the preventative care of your oral health. For starters, digestion begins in the mouth, simple carbohydrates like sugar and starches are broken down in the mouth by the bacteria in your plaque and their bi-product is acid. That acid is responsible for the breakdown of your tooth surfaces resulting in a cavity. It can also irritate your gum tissue, resulting in gingivitis or periodontal disease. Another thing that can happen with too much acid in the mouth is erosion. Erosion is the wearing away of tooth structure from an acid source, primarily in the form of foods and beverages. Citrus fruits, tomatoes, pickles, coffee, alcohol, soda, and even carbonated water are some of the top rated foods for causing erosion of the teeth.
Reduce or modify the consumption of acidic foods by eating them with meals and coupling them with a more neutral or neutralizing food like nuts, eggs, cheese, meats, vegetables, and whole grains when eaten between meals. A good snack choice might be fresh fruits and vegetables or a pairing of pickles and cheese, fruit with yogurt, a medley of nuts or coffee and tea with cream.
The holidays are here and it’s really difficult to manage all the above rules and information when so many delightful foods are before us. But, we can try and maybe not miss out as much as we think. Here are a few suggestions for you:
The trend toward charcuterie boards is wonderful for when guests arrive. A beautiful display of whole foods is a great option and can minimize acids if you choose right! If you keep in mind the yin yang of high and low pH foods, you can provide great healthy choices.
Another idea is to serve lean roasted meat or fish or roasted veggies, but probably skip the potatoes. To make things more interesting, don’t forget the seasoning because that counts! Also, whole grain breads and sourdough can replace white dinner rolls. Sourdough bread is low in gluten, is a prebiotic that feeds healthy bacteria in your stomach, and is more digestible.
Finally, holiday desserts can be fresh fruit pies or tarts, drizzled with heavy cream instead of sweet whipped cream.
Consider baking with ⅓ less sugar for most of your cookies this season and try butter substitutes like beans, apple sauce, avocado and more.
Or, try this recipe. Yum!
There are a few primary ways you can keep plaque from getting the best of you (and your mouth)!
Swish with mouthwash. It’s easy to brush and floss but not take the process any further. When you swish with fluoridated mouthwash afterward, you dislodge any residual food particles. Plus, the 
Reducing sugars in your diet in addition to stepping up your oral hygiene game can combat plaque buildup before it becomes a bigger problem. A thorough polishing by one of our hygienists during your recare visit will also help reduce plaque on and in between your teeth.
Cause: One of the 
Tip #2: Prevent enamel erosion by limiting the consumption of acidic foods. When you indulge in acidic foods or beverages, brush and floss an hour afterward to clean out your mouth so acid doesn’t linger and cause enamel damage. You don’t want to brush and floss right after consumption of food and drink with acid because the acidic pH environment will allow your toothbrush to abrade the enamel away quickly. If you wait at least an hour, your saliva has a chance to neutralize your mouth.
Tip #3: Prevent enamel erosion by making sure you’re using fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that, when added to toothpaste, mouthwash or your municipal water supply, helps remineralize lost calcium and phosphate ions and reinforce your teeth’s first line of defense, reducing chances of damage and decay.
Tip #5: Prevent tooth erosion by visiting Eggert Family Dentistry for regular cleanings! At your 
Candy on a stick, such as lollipops or rock candy, is meant to be enjoyed over time. Because it lingers in your mouth, it increases the production of saliva. However, instead of the saliva doing its job and rinsing bacteria out of your mouth, it only spreads the sugar around. Additionally, your mouth produces acid in an attempt to destroy the sticky sugar that then coats your teeth. The acid and sugar team up to break down tooth enamel and, with repeat exposure, can result in tooth decay.
You might be wondering where sour candy fits into the picture. Warheads, Sour Patch Kids, Sour Skittles…kids LOVE sour candy and love to challenge themselves and their friends to eat large quantities of it or hold the sour candy in their mouths for long periods of time.
One of the most popular categories of Halloween candy are chocolates. While many have sticky centers like Twix, Rollos or Snickers, others like Hershey’s bars and Nestle Crunch dissipate quickly in your mouth, making them more dental-friendly than almost any other candy.
