Teeth-Saving Thanksgiving Tips!

Thanksgiving is almost here, and that means holiday food. While traditional Thanksgiving foods will leave your stomach satisfied, they can leave a bitter aftertaste of dental woes – stained teeth and cavities. You don’t have to give up your favorite foods; just alter your recipes. Try these tasty variations on holiday staples that will keep your teeth, and the rest of your body, healthy.

Sweet Potatoes: These tasty tubers get their bright orange color from beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Look for varieties with darker orange flesh, as they’ve got more beta carotene. Traditional Thanksgiving sweet potato dishes often add marshmallows, sugar, and lots of butter. Cut the sugar and try making mashed sweet potatoes with a little butter, brown sugar, and a hint of rosemary. If your family is willing, try making oven-baked spicy sweet potato fries.
Cranberries: Like sweet potatoes, these berries get their bright color from antioxidants. Cranberries are bursting with Vitamin C, and also feature a hefty dose of Vitamins A and K, which prevent cavity-forming bacteria from sticking to your teeth. If you make cranberry sauce from scratch, use less sugar – most people don’t taste the difference. Add orange juice or zest to complement the tart and tangy tastes. Add a little apple or grape juice to unsweetened cranberry juice.
Berry Pies: Blueberries, cherries, blackberries, and black raspberries have many of the same health benefits of cranberries. Their deep colors indicate the presence of Vitamins A and K, manganese (an essential mineral), and compounds that may help lower cholesterol. Unfortunately, these bright colors can also stain your teeth, and most pie recipes call for quite a lot of sugar. Try reducing the sugar in your recipes, substituting some honey for sugar, or mixing some apples in with the berries. Rinse well with water after eating berries or drinking their juice.

Swish with water after having tea, coffee, or wine (red or white) to help prevent stains. Wait about an hour after you’re done eating to brush your teeth. Acid from food or drinks temporarily softens enamel; waiting gives it time to re-harden.