Thanksgiving Pies: Best and Worst for Teeth

As Thanksgiving approaches, Americans turn their attention toward family gatherings and festive events. A big part of this focus centers on holiday meals, which include delectable pies that can expand our waistlines. At the same time, these popular desserts can impact our dental health. If you're looking for smarter options for your holiday meal, consider the following.

Choosing a Better Pie

While virtually all types of pies are packed with calories, some can also impact your dental health. In general, the higher the sugar content, the worse it will be for your teeth. That said, there are other factors at play when choosing a better pie for your teeth.

Fruit Pies: A fruit pie is loaded with syruppy sugars which can cause cavities. If the pie contains acidic fruits, it is more likely to damage tooth enamel.

Pecan Pie: A pecan pie full of sticky filling and chewy pecans may be one of the worst cavity offenders, even despite its deliciousness. Due to the sticky filling, you are more likely to accumulate more food matter on the surface of your teeth.

Pumpkin Pie: While of course still loaded with sugars, a pumpkin pie may actually be one of the better options for your Thanksgiving dessert thanks to the pumpkins vitamin C.

With all of this in mind, you should in general opt for pies that are less sticky and lower in sugar. Look for recipes that include dark chocolate, oatmeal, sweet potato, bananas, carrots and yogurt. You should look to avoid pies that contain acidic fruits, such as key lime pies and lemon meringue pies.

It's important to remember that almost all pies include flaky crusts that tend to get caught between teeth. If left for hours, this food matter can fuel the proliferation of cavity-causing bacteria and land you in the dentist's chair.

How to Keep Your Mouth Healthy on Thanksgiving

It's always a good idea to brush and floss and this is especially the case after a big Thanksgiving dinner packed with sugary treats. Not only will this help preserve your dental health; it will ensure that your teeth are white, and your breath is clean for all the social interactions that come with Thanksgiving celebrations.

Regardless of what snacks and desserts you choose to indulge in, proper care and attention to your mouth along with regularly scheduled dentist visits will help in fighting off any unwanted plaque or cavities.