The holiday season is right around the corner! It brings joy, excitement, a surplus of sweet treats, and loved ones near as well poor eating choices that can cause damage to our young patients’ teeth. At Children’s Dentistry of Amarillo, we care about the overall health and wellbeing of our Amarillo area patients. That’s why we’ve put together these tips on what your children should and shouldn’t eat this holiday season to avoid getting cavities caused by tooth decay, damaging crowns, or dislodging sealants.  

Our highly qualified pediatric dentist Dr. Billy Metcalf suggests that you take caution in watching what your children eat to ensure that this holiday season does not result in a blow to your child's oral health. In general, food and drinks that are high in sugar, acids, and are sticky can do the most damage to your kid’s gums and teeth.

Worst Foods For Teeth To Eat This Holiday Season

Your pediatric dentist wants you to remember that what your kids eat and drink has an important impact on their teeth. This holiday season is no exception. Your children should consume in small amounts or not at all the foods listed below.

• Candy canes: Your children love sneaking these off of the Christmas tree or out of the candy basket when you're not looking. It might be best to not have these in your home at all this holiday season as they are a hard candy, packed full of sugar creating the potential for chipping teeth.

• Apples and cat corn on the cob: These foods may seem like a good idea because at least then your children are consuming their fruits and vega†ables. However, they also may be at the age where they may have loose or sensitive teeth and biting into an apple or corn on the cob can cause serious pain for them. It will be in your best interests to cut up the apple into bite-sized pieces and to cut the corn off the cob.

• Citrus fruits and sour candies: These foods can wear away at the enamel on your children's teeth, leading to greater tooth sensitivity.

• Sticky candies: Candy such as Dots and Jujubes are high in sugar and require a lot of chewing. Since they are so sticky, often times the candy will stick to your children's teeth. These candies are best to just stay on the gingerbread house.  

Best Foods For Teeth This Holiday Season

So, if you can’t eat all of those candies, fruits, and vegetables, what ARE you supposed to encourage your child to eat? The best foods for your children’s teeth this holiday season are ones that neutralize and rinse away acids, supply vitamins, and minerals, and build up tooth enamel. Below are some of our recommendations for your children’s teeth.

• Dairy products: Items like cheese, milk, and yogurt that have minimal sugar added are high in calcium and help your child’s teeth in many ways.

• High-fiber fruits and vegetables: Saliva is the first line of defense when it comes to your children’s teeth. These fruits and vegetables like bananas, avocados, strawberries, and broccoli stimulate saliva flow, neutralizing tooth-damaging toxins.    

• Oral Hygiene. As always, make sure your children are properly brushing and flossing their teeth following each meal.

Call your Amarillo Children’s Dentist Today!

We want you to enjoy every minute of your holiday season with your family so follow these tips so that we don’t see you in our Amarillo dentist’s office with your child and some type of emergency. If you have any questions or concerns, our team at Children’s Dentistry of Amarillo would love to hear from you. Give us a call at (806) 351-0008 or schedule an appointment today. Don’t wait to give your child the best possible oral health and have a happy holiday season from the best pediatric and children’s dentistry in Amarillo!