The holidays are a wonderful time of year full of celebrations, gift-giving, and gatherings with friends and family. While holiday parties can be a blast of both cheerful nostalgia and hope for the future, they often include beverages that can be harsh on your teeth if you aren’t careful. Here are three traditional holiday beverages that are best enjoyed in moderation to preserve your dental health during the end-of-the-year festivities.
Go Easy on the Red Wine Unless You Have Purple Teeth in Mind
Red wine has been served at celebrations for thousands of years. It is renowned for its tart, robust flavor, its rich, dark color, and the way it pairs so excellently with red meat. While all of these make it a wonderful beverage for festive occasions, it is also high in acid and pigment. While acid gives it its biting flavor, it also begins to weaken your enamel as soon as it makes contact with your teeth. This makes it easier for the pigments in red wine to become attached to your enamel. Frequently drinking red wine without proper oral hygiene can cause your teeth to turn a purplish shade.
Hot Chocolate Is Delicious but High in Sugar
Families have enjoyed hot chocolate during the winter months for generations because of its rich, chocolate flavor and ability to warm you up on a cold night. While this certainly makes it a delightful beverage, the sugar it contains can be hazardous for your teeth. When you drink hot chocolate, it coats your mouth in a sugary residue that will feed the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. Enjoy hot chocolate in moderation to keep your teeth safe and sound for the new year.
Eggnog Is Full of Acid, Sugar, and Dairy
There is perhaps no other drink as closely associated with the holidays as eggnog, but this traditional holiday brew is a recipe for dental trouble. Eggnog contains alcohol, which is acidic enough to cause damage to your enamel. It is also heavy on sugar, which means it can feed the germs that cause oral infections. To make matters slightly worse, the dairy ingredients it contains can cause bad breath if they remain in the mouth long enough to form sulfur compounds.
It’s important to indulge a bit when enjoying the holidays, and it’s perfectly fine to enjoy these beverages in moderation. Just be sure to drink plenty of water alongside them and practice proper oral hygiene year-round.
About the Author
Dr. Parnam Mohanna earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery at the University of Oklahoma and has completed a great deal of advanced training on topics like dental implants, oral sedation, and wisdom tooth extractions. He is a proud member of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry and a Fellow of the Misch International Implant Institute. His two offices in Glenpool, OK offer general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. For more information on caring for your teeth during the holidays, contact the practice online.