Franklin 
It’s the holidays and you’ve just finished making caramel apples with your nephew. The caramel has set and you both can’t wait to sink your teeth into that sweet and tart combination. As you both go in for a bite, you hesitate. “What’s wrong Auntie?” your nephew asks, mouth full of apple.
You remember that you recently had a crown placed and realize that the caramel apples you made could rip it right off. If this situation sounds familiar, take a moment to consider these foods to avoid so your holidays aren’t interrupted with a trip to your emergency dentistry in Tyler.
How Eating Certain Foods Trigger Dental Emergencies
The holidays are known for eating treats you don’t see during the rest of the year. Eating these foods may have become a habit over the years, but that doesn’t mean you should experience a dental emergency when you should be spending time with your family. Many foods tend to be harder, stickier, and contain more sugar than other foods you consumed previously.
If you have any crowns or temporary caps currently in your mouth, a hard bite or a sticky food could tear it off instantly, leaving your tooth exposed to food debris and bacteria. If a hard or sugary food causes a sore tooth, it could make enjoying the rest of your favorite foods incredibly difficult due to the discomfort. A dental emergency includes:
- Severe toothaches and sensitivity to temperature changes
- Swelling/infection at the gum line
- Broken, chipped, or cracked teeth
- Knocked out teeth or other restorations
- Soft tissue injuries
- Damaged dentures
Your dentist in Tyler should be contacted as soon as possible should any of these events occur during your holiday season.
To Prevent A Dental Emergency, Avoid These Beverages
Luckily, it’s possible to avoid an emergency altogether if you know which foods can trigger them. To start, we’ll look at beverages. These include bourbon, coffee, eggnog, and hot chocolate.
Drinks containing alcohol such as bourbon, eggnog, and hot chocolate can dry out your mouth, creating an environment perfect for gum disease and tooth decay. Eggnog and hot chocolate also have a large quantity of sugar (which feeds bacteria) and dairy content (which causes bad breath.) The caffeine inside coffee reduces your salivary flow which is meant to wash residual sugar and food particles from the mouth. Without this flow, the sugars remain on your teeth and gums, increasing your risk of problems.
These Foods Could Land You in The Dentist Chair
Tough and chewy foods such as candy canes, corn on the cob, candy dots, canes, and jujubes all force you to exert a lot of wear on your teeth. This could cause the work you’ve had done go completely to waste. Cracking a filling or loosening a sealant you did previously will make eating anything else far more difficult and discomforting.
Citric fruits, dried fruits, and fruitcake may seem like a safe alternative to candy, but the acidic nature of citrus and high sugar content that still exists in dried fruits and fruitcake can caused added enamel erosion and tooth decay for those with weak teeth, crowns, veneers, and even implants.
Don’t let the foods you eat wreck your holiday spirit. Stay informed on risky foods with help from your dentist in Tyler!
About the Author
Dr. Franklin-Pitts received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the Prairie View A&M University. After earning her dental degree at the Howard University dental school in Washington D.C., she became a part of several dental associations, including the American Dental Association, the East Texas Dental Society, the Smith Country Dental Society, and several others. To contact her practice, visit her website or make a call at (903) 593-2330.