You take vitamins to stay healthy. Do your teeth need vitamins, too? In short: yes!…
Holiday Treats Without the Sweets
Holiday traditions can be filled with lots of sugary treats that can be tough on your teeth! Make holiday treats without sweets a new tradition for your family this holiday season! Continue reading for a handful of our favorites.
Why Skip the Sweets?
Holiday sweets like Christmas cookies and candy canes are delicious! Why would anyone skip them? Let’s talk about why it can be beneficial to enjoy sugar in moderation this holiday season.
Sugary treats can be hard on your teeth because sugar can lead to tooth decay. This happens because sugar feeds the naturally-occurring bacteria in your mouth, which produces an acid that is erosive to your dental enamel or the outer part of your teeth. When your teeth are exposed to extra sugar, it can lead to cavities over time.
But don’t get discouraged! There are lots of holiday treats without sweets that you’ll love! Let’s dig into our list of favorites.
Healthy Snacks
For healthy holiday snacks, we love treats that pack in nutrients without added sugars. Fresh apples dipped in dark chocolate or cream cheese are a delicious treat — the crisp texture of the apples will work to scrub your teeth clean while the calcium and other nutrients in the cream cheese and cocoa are a great way to support your dental health. Cheese boards are another great snack that also packs in a lot of nutritious calcium.
We also love homemade popcorn. Like apples, popcorn works to scrub your teeth while you chew. And there are so many great topping options, from pumpkin spice to sea salt drizzled with dark chocolate. You can get creative!
Tasty New Baked Goods
Another great way to enjoy holiday treats without sweets is to try savory baked goods! Cheese pastries, stuffed fruit and veggies, and savory bread are just a few of the options. Or if you’re craving something sweet, you could also whip up some favorite traditional holiday recipes like Christmas cookies using alternative sweeteners!
The important thing is to have fun experimenting as a family or with your friends. You’ll be sure to make fun memories together and you might just find your new favorite holiday treat!
Call our Jacksonville Dental Office to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.
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Dr. Jordan Cooper is from Jacksonville, AR. His father is Dr. James Cooper, a Jonesboro, AR native and practicing dentist of 39 years and his mother, Tracy Cooper, is a dental hygienist from Little Rock. Dr. Cooper graduated high school from Central Arkansas Christian, after which he entered at the University of Arkansas as a Chancellor’s Scholar in 1998.
Dr. David Cole is a graduate from the University of Arkansas, receiving his degree in 2016, and is a huge Razorback fan! He then went to dental school at the University of Tennessee where he received his D.D.S. in 2021. He looks forward to getting to know the Central Arkansas area, and serving his community!
Dr. Rasmussen is a Hot Springs native who graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in 2017 (Go Bears). After receiving his D.D.S from The University of Tennessee in 2021, he is looking forward to serving the central Arkansas community and the wonderful people who live here.
Dr. James Cooper was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He studied at the University of New Mexico and graduated from dental school from the University of Missouri, Kansas City. After 2 years of dental experience with the Army, Dr. Cooper moved to Jacksonville in 1973 to practice dentistry.