Though stores such as Michael’s may be prepared months in advance, stocking shelves with an abundance of Halloween decorations in the last weeks of summer, chances are, many people aren’t as diligent with holiday preparation. An example of the modern man’s procrastination is how supermarkets are sardine-filled with a multifarious band of consumers all rushing for that last bag of fresh cranberries, on the day of Thanksgiving.
And with endless to-do lists, the thought of personal health is rarely present in the minds of today’s people, and besides the few who are watching their waistlines effectively, many let time take its course until the infamously unrealistic resolutions of New Year’s roll around. Holidays are oft-times synonymous with unhealthy eating for most, yet the appearance/health of teeth, which are directly related to eating habits, is almost never even on the minds of most.
From sugar skulls, caramel apples, and twizzlers, to traditional boxed chocolates, sugar plays a heavy role in holiday festivities. With winter holidays also come pie, and juices (ciders). For Valentine’s Day, the main attraction is chocolate, even for those who are dateless.
Many toss out their healthy diets, and won’t welcome them back until the first of January. Though teeth aren’t supposed to be chameleon-like, ever-changing the colors depending on what food you last consumed, their shade of pearly white isn’t always an honest indicator of tooth health either.
“During the holidays, there is a relationship between sugar and the effect of sugar on the tooth,” said Roya, a dental hygienist with Dr. Diane Sherman’s dental office of Encinitas.
Some students see a change in their eating habits for the better during the holidays. One such student was senior Ashley Munoz who said, “I eat healthier when the holidays are here, just because there are certain holiday foods to eat, like turkey and winter season vegetables. For dental habits, I just keep it the same, brush my teeth the usual twice a day.”
Other students felt that they changed their habits, but they balanced it out with additional attention to their teeth.
“I eat candied bacon, which is like dog treats for human beings around the holydays, but it’s cool because I ask Santa for mouthwash and floss for Christmas and brush a lot more so it balances out,” said junior Grifen Buck.
Roya explained how eating or drinking sugary foods and drinks, such as candy or juice can be harmful for teeth, because when they get into your mouth, they produce acid.
The foods she recommended you avoid this holiday season are all candies in general, like lollipops and licorice, and sugary or acidic foods, especially sodas.
Roya said, “Soda is even worse. The acid from the sugars of the soda etch the surface of the enamel and produce decay.”
Included in that category are diet sodas, which, although sugar-free, still contains acid.
According to the American Dental Association, “Most soft drinks contain phosphoric acid and citric acid. It is widely accepted that acid in food and beverages plays a major role in the development of enamel erosion.”
Although it is recommended that you should stay away from candies, Roya said that chewing sugarless gum is fine, and that starches, or complex sugars, such as breads, are okay to eat, too.
Though we won’t see the results of poor eating on our teeth right way, if we continue for over six months, damage to the enamel can be done. So, keep up with that twice a day or more brushing and flossing routine, and consider the effects on your enamel the next time you reach for that Coke.