Family, food, & football!
Of course those are some reasons why we may love Thanksgiving, but as for our teeth enjoying the day-long display of gluttony, let’s examine some tooth truths.
Thanksgiving brings us lots of food and conversation, and although we may struggle to keep the eating in balance with the conversation, this day of ongoing digestion doesn’t mean our dental health needs to suffer the consequences.
Here’s what we came up with as the top three foods to keep our teeth healthy and our smiles white and wide…
Top 3 Foods for Healthy Teeth on Thanksgiving
Turkey
In most homes around the country, turkey takes top billing as the primary protein occupying our Thanksgiving dinner tables. Turkey is chock full of protein which helps us build stronger muscles and a healthy smile.
Turkey is also high in phosphorus, and when the phosphorus in turkey gets together with calcium and vitamin D, stronger bones and teeth are the results.
According to MedlinePlus, phosphorus is a mineral that makes up 1% of a person’s total body weight. It is present in every cell of the body. Most of the phosphorus in the body is found in the bones and teeth.
Turkey is an excellent source of protein and is a healthy choice for maintaining strong teeth and a healthy smile!
Dairy
Whether we get the dairy from milk, cheese, yogurt, or sour cream, one this is certain – dairy is good for our teeth. The calcium in dairy products helps our bodies build strong bones – and teeth.
Did you know cheese is especially good for the health of our teeth and gums?
“It looks like dairy does the mouth good…”
“Not only are dairy products a healthy alternative to carb- or sugar-filled snacks, they also may be considered as a preventive measure against cavities.”
– says Academy of General Dentistry spokesperson Seung-Hee Rhee, DDS, FAGD.
Vegetables
We all know Mom is always right, and when she told us to eat our veggies it wasn’t just to clean our plate and be thankful for the meal in front of us.
Turns out veggies are not only good for our overall health, they’re good for the health of our teeth & gums too!
Vegetables have a high water content, which stimulates saliva flow and acts as a defense against the cavity creeps. Noshing on the veggies also helps our bodies counteract the negative effects of the starches we consume (or over-consume) from potatoes,stuffing, or candied yams, and the sugars from all the Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, & Sweet Potato Pie.
Furthermore, vegetables high in fiber – like string beans, broccoli, asparagus, brussel sprouts…etc. – help our bodies lower cholesterol and blood sugar.
Keys to Healthy Teeth on Thanksgiving
Moderation is probably the best thing we can do to keep our teeth and gums healthy this Thanksgiving, taking it easy on the cakes, pies, cookies, and libations will go a long way to serving our smiles.
But if there was ever a day to throw the “Everything in Moderation” mantra out the window…it’s Thanksgiving!
SMILE ~ And Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Sources:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002424.htm (Phosphorous)
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber/NU00033 (Fiber & Cholesterol/Blood Sugar)
