4 Holiday Drinks to Avoid for Your Teeth

December 19, 2014

Charlotte dentist Dr. Richard Bateman sees many patients in advance of the winter holiday season. This is the time of year when many people splurge on tasty foods, treats and drinks. Generally you’ll want to avoid any beverage that has a high acidic or sugar content. Here is a short list of four specific drinks that you should scratch off your holiday list if dental health is a top concern.

Egg Nog
One of the drinks that you’ll want to avoid during the holidays is egg nog. Egg nog is a drink made of whipped eggs, cream, flavorings like nutmeg and sometimes a bit of alcohol. It’s also full of sugar, which notoriously attacks the enamel of your teeth. As delicious as this drink may be, avoid drinking it as much as possible. If you make your own egg nog, consider substituting bad white sugar for a sugar substitute suggested by your Charlotte dentist Dr. Bateman.

Orange Juice
On the morning of a big holiday, we all love to have a large breakfast with a nice glass of orange juice. But orange juice is one of those beverages that has a very high acidic content and isn’t good for dental health. Drink a glass of milk or ice water with your holiday breakfast instead.

Sweet Alcoholic Beverages
Most alcoholic beverages have some sugar content, but the sweeter alcohol varieties, like Moscato and Rose champagne usually have more sugar content due to the way it is fermented. Avoid drinking sweet alcohol before, during and after your holiday dinner.

Soda
If there’s one drink that you should definitely avoid at your holiday dinner, it’s soda—both regular and diet. Soda is addictive because it has such a large amount of sugar—about 30 to 40 grams per can to be exact. Even sugar-free soda isn’t good for your teeth because it’s still highly acidic and corrosive to the teeth.

Make a Post-Holiday Dental Appointment
When you’re thirsty during the holidays, drink as much water as possible in between small “doses” of your favorite traditional drinks. Also, remember to keep up with regular brushings and flossing. Finally, make it a priority to schedule a post-holiday checkup with Charlotte Dentist Dr. Richard Bateman for a thorough cleaning. Visit his site at http://www.batemanfamilydentistry.com to make an appointment request or call (704) 541-5059