Keeping your teeth and gums healthy during the holidays can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be. You can prevent an emergency dental visit if you follow these tips from Dr. David Schaefer.

Below are a few things you should stay away from during the holidays to keep your teeth and gums safe.

Stay away from Hard Candy

Keep the canes on the tree and the hard butterscotch candies on the shelf at the store. Hard candies are a double-edged sword as they are loaded with sugar, which erodes the enamel on your teeth, and they can break or crack a tooth if you bite down.

Gummy Bears and Sticky Candy

Gummy bears, licorice, saltwater taffy and any other sticky candy can pull out your fillings and wreck havoc for dental sealants. According to Dr. Schaefer, sticky candy is also hard to remove and can stay in the fissures and grooves at the back of your teeth.

Pies, Cookies and Cakes Oh My!

Your Great Aunt Martha’s pecan pie may be as delicious as your own sugar cookies, but those delicious treats can cause problems for your teeth and gums. If you must indulge rinse after as starchy foods can get caught in the grooves and fissure at the back of your teeth. Add sugar to the mix and your teeth will suffer for it.

Dried Fruit

That yummy dried fruit platter that arrives at your front door every year can cause issues with your teeth. Sticky figs, dates, and apricots are loaded with sugar, and just like gummy bears can stay on your teeth, even after brushing.

You don’t have to schedule an emergency dental visit with Dr. Schaefer if you watch what you eat and see your dentist twice a year.

Schedule your bi-annual dental appointment with Dr. David Schaefer today.