When it comes to dental advice, it’s more often that you’ll hear what you shouldn’t eat and not what you should. However, what about foods that can help fight tooth decay? Over the years, studies have shown that a wide range of consumable things might have cavity and gum disease fighting properties. Coconut oil, cheese, green tea – these are just a few of the things that hold positive powers in oral health maintenance. Today, Dr. Deborah Gennero, your Houston dentist, will highlight a holiday favorite that holds cavity-fighting compounds: the cranberry.
The Holidays and Tooth Decay
Thanksgiving Day is a time when most of us decide not to think a whole lot about what we’re going to eat. Celebration abounds, and overeating is common. Though many of the usual foods served on the holiday are savory items – like turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing – there are usually plenty of pies, sweet breads, and fudge to round out the meal. As you are probably already aware, sugary and acidic foods and drinks contribute to tooth decay.
Brush Your Teeth with…Cranberry Sauce?
Cranberry sauce – a common item found on the Thanksgiving Day table is both tart (acidic) and full of sugar. We won’t be recommending that you load up on it at the end of the month, for the sake of your oral health. However, a study from the University of Rochester shows that properties in the cranberry may very well be isolated in the future, and added to oral hygiene products. Certain cranberry compounds have the ability to disrupt the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Streptococcus mutans rely on the sticky environment that plaque provides. Plaque is to S. mutans as a web is to a spider. With the help of cranberries, scientists have found the potential to stop S. mutans from forming plaque (spinning their sticky web) and thus having no way to adhere to teeth and cause cavities.
Visit the Dentist in Houston
The holidays can be a time of indulgence when it comes to what you eat. Enjoy yourself, but be sure to keep up your brushing and flossing, and visit Dr. Gennero if you’re due for a dental checkup. You can reach our Houston dentist office at (281)578-6200. We are proud to provide comprehensive dentistry to patients from Clear Lake to The Woodlands, including Katy, West Houston, Sugarland, the 77084 zip code, and surrounding neighborhoods
