{"id":295,"date":"2023-12-07T19:42:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-07T19:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/?p=295"},"modified":"2024-01-07T19:47:28","modified_gmt":"2024-01-07T19:47:28","slug":"4-tooth-friendly-holiday-meals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/4-tooth-friendly-holiday-meals\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Dentist-Approved Holiday Meals"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-296\" src=\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/thanksgiving33-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Roasted turkey on holiday table\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/thanksgiving33-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/thanksgiving33-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/thanksgiving33-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/thanksgiving33.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/>The holidays wouldn\u2019t be the same if not for many mouthwatering foods. Candy canes and sugar cookies can add inches to your waistline, but that\u2019s not to only concern. Many popular holiday foods can be bad for your dental health. You don\u2019t have to avoid family gatherings or seasonal get-togethers to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/services.html\">keep your smile healthy<\/a>. Here are a few dentist-approved holiday meals.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Turkey&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether baked, fried, or smoked, turkey is a staple of the season. It is a healthy option for the dinner table, but avoid stuffing and cranberry sauce that often go along with it. Sugars and starches feed cavity-causing bacteria that can erode your enamel. Instead, choose fresh cranberries and crisp vegetables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Broccoli and Cheddar Soup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Soup is a warm treat on chilly winter days. Broccoli and cheddar soup is a great choice. Broccoli contains many nutrients that support a healthy mouth and body. Cheese contains calcium and phosphorus, which are important for healthy teeth and gums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Veggie Trays<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Chips, cookies, and other common appetizers can come back to haunt your dental health. You can avoid tooth decay by choosing fruit and veggie trays. They contain the nutrients you need to support your general well-being. Crisp fruits and vegetables also act as scrub brushes for your teeth to keep your mouth clean between brushing and flossing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Chocolate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Pies, cookies, and candy are popular desserts during the holidays. It\u2019s best to moderate your sugar consumption. If you can\u2019t resist your sweet tooth, avoid any treats that are hard or require you to hold them in your mouth to dissolve. They bathe your teeth in sugar, eroding your enamel. Skip anything sticky because it can cling to your teeth. If you need something sweet, chocolate is preferred by dentists because it rinses from teeth easily, so it\u2019s less likely to linger in your mouth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides watching what you eat, you can avoid bad news during your next dental checkup by committing to your oral hygiene. Brush your teeth at least twice daily for 2 minutes using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Brush after every meal if you\u2019re snacking more often. Don\u2019t forget to floss every day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can keep your teeth and gums healthy during the holidays by giving your mouth the care it needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About Dr. Mark D. Medaugh<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/meet-the-doctor.html\">Dr. Medaugh<\/a> earned his dental degree from the University of Pennsylvania and he has regularly continued his education in cosmetic and restorative dentistry to provide up-to-date services. He is a member of the American Dental Association and the Massachusetts Dental Association. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/request-an-appointment.html\">Request an appointment<\/a> through his website or call (413) 289-5113.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The holidays wouldn\u2019t be the same if not for many mouthwatering foods. Candy canes and sugar cookies can add inches to your waistline, but that\u2019s not to only concern. Many popular holiday foods can be bad for your dental health. You don\u2019t have to avoid family gatherings or seasonal get-togethers to keep your smile healthy. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>4 Tooth-Friendly Holiday Meals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Don\u2019t let the holidays harm your oral health. Here are 4 meals approved by your dentist for healthy teeth and gums.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/4-tooth-friendly-holiday-meals\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"4 Tooth-Friendly Holiday Meals\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Don\u2019t let the holidays harm your oral health. Here are 4 meals approved by your dentist for healthy teeth and gums.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/4-tooth-friendly-holiday-meals\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Valley Dentists of Belchertown Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-12-07T19:42:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-01-07T19:47:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/thanksgiving33-200x300.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"drmedaugh\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"drmedaugh\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/4-tooth-friendly-holiday-meals\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/4-tooth-friendly-holiday-meals\/\",\"name\":\"4 Tooth-Friendly Holiday Meals\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/4-tooth-friendly-holiday-meals\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/4-tooth-friendly-holiday-meals\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/thanksgiving33-200x300.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-12-07T19:42:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-01-07T19:47:28+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.belchertown-dentist.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/ad7193b7aad3f4217909f66f47253cda\"},\"description\":\"Don\u2019t let the holidays harm your oral health. 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