What are the holiday foods that can damage your teeth?

1. Lechon
2. Castañas
3. Leche Flan
4. Candy cane
5. Alcohol
6. Pasta

For Filipinos, December is a time for family gatherings and reunions. During this holiday season, there are two main highlights — the Noche Buena and the Media Noche. These Christmas and New Year traditions won’t be complete with a special meal to share with your loved ones. While you can enjoy eating to your heart’s content, don’t forget that there might be some foods that could damage your teeth if you don’t brush and floss properly! Here are some of the holiday foods that can damage your teeth. Keep on reading!

Lechon

Lechon is one of the most popular Filipino foods you will find during the holiday season. If you have an extra budget, you might even purchase a whole roasted pig for this yearly occasion! The most popular part of this dish is the crispy skin — just hearing the sound of each bite can get you salivating.

Be extra mindful about eating this dish especially if you encounter extra hard pieces of pork skin. If you’re not careful, you might just crack your teeth accidentally!

Castañas

Castañas, or roasted chestnuts, are commonly sold on the streets during the Christmas season. You’ll also find them in markets and malls if you’re shopping for presents. They’re often cooked in huge woks or an oven.

But the only problem with this holiday delicacy is that they’re hard to peel. Although the shell of the chestnut is softer than other tree nuts, you can’t use your teeth to crack it. This could only end up in an urgent trip to the dentist because of a chipped tooth. Instead, use your hands to pull and snap off the shells. There are also shops that sell them pre-peeled!

Leche Flan

Another holiday favorite for Christmas and New Year is Leche flan. It’s often used as a topping for other desserts — such as halo-halo. It might be tempting to indulge in this sweet and creamy dessert, but make sure to limit your intake and don’t forget your daily oral hygiene regime.

Leche flan is made with not just eggs and milk, but also caramel. A serving of this dessert comes with a high amount of sugar, which can be detrimental to your teeth. This is because sugar attracts harmful bacteria that can damage your tooth enamel and cause a cavity.

Candy Cane

Candy canes are a great Christmas stocking filler and giveaway for kids during the holidays. But just like the Leche flan, it’s another sugar-loaded treat. Aside from that, they take a long time to eat, so the sugars will stay longer in your mouth. If you attempt to bite this hard candy, you can chip or crack your teeth.

If you’re looking for an alternative to candy canes, you can try making real fruit candy canes instead! You can form a cane shape with bananas and strawberries to get kids excited about eating healthier during the holidays.

Alcohol

Charcuterie boards are popular during the holidays because they’re easy to eat and snack on. The usual pair with these finger foods is a good glass of red wine. But if you recently had a teeth whitening done, this could easily stain your smile!

Now you might think that white wine is a safer alternative, but it’s more acidic than red wine.  Remember that acidic foods and drinks can damage your teeth’s enamel. If you can’t help but drink this beverage, make sure to drink water afterward.

If you’re looking for an alternative, try a gin and tonic instead. Because these are clear liquids, you won’t have to worry about staining your teeth. It also contains lower levels of acid! Light beer is also another good option.

Pasta

From spaghetti, pancit palabok, pancit bihon, and more — pasta and pancit dishes are another must-have during the holiday season in the Philippines. But if you overindulge without practicing a proper oral hygiene regime, you might also damage your teeth.

For example, if you’re eating spaghetti, you’re exposing your teeth to tomato sauce, which is acidic and can stain your teeth. Other than that, the carbohydrates in pasta can also contribute to feeding cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth!

Key Takeaway

While it’s safe to enjoy your favorite foods during the Christmas and New Year season, remember to keep your mouth healthy by brushing and flossing. If it’s been a year since your last check-up with a dentist, you should schedule a visit soon. This way, they can remove the plaque and tartar in your teeth that can lead to a cavity!

Now that you know more about the holiday foods that can damage your teeth, you can be extra careful while enjoying Christmas and New Year with your family! If you want to schedule a dentist visit in our branch, you can send us a message here. We have specialists that can address your every need — whether it’s an airflow treatment, veneer application, teeth whitening, and more!