Healthy Holiday Foods - Advice from Dr. Jeanette Kern!

Why not take some great advice from an expert? Dr. Jeanette Kern is a highly respected dentist in Monterey, CA. Here's what she suggests:

Naughty	Nice
Fruitcake Filled with candied fruit, this holiday classic is classically bad for your smile.   Candied fruits can stick to crevices in your teeth; their acidic consistency eats at tooth enamel causing decay.	Mulled Wine ‘Tis the season, so if you want a cocktail, choose mulled wine.  Cinnamon spice in this drink helps regulate blood sugar.  Red wine is filled with cell-protecting antioxidants to keep gums and roots healthy.
Candy Canes Hard, sticky and sweet, even peppermint breath can’t save this treat.  Biting down on a candy cane can damage dental work.  Since candy canes are made of corn syrup and sugar this treat can leave you with drama in the form of tooth decay.	Cauliflower Gratin Sure it’s high in fat, but if you are going to indulge at the holiday feast, feel good about Cauliflower Gratin because cauliflower scrubs your teeth with its fiber and can help brighten your smile.   The cheese in this dish helps neutralize acid from other foods and provides healthy calcium for tooth enamel.
Rum & Coke Few things are worse for your smile than sugar and acid; this pair is double trouble. It’s packed with enamel damaging chemicals that can irritate gum tissue and erode tooth enamel.	Citrus California oranges are great this time of year.  All citrus fruits help inhibit bacteria growth which is beneficial for gum health and eliminating halitosis.

Dr. Jeanette Kern is an award-winning expert in the areas of general, cosmetic and restorative dentistry. She has trained with world-renowned dental instructors at the Rosenthal Institute at New York University and the acclaimed Pacific Aesthetic Continuum at University of the Pacific.  Prior to becoming a dentist, Dr. Kern worked for 10 years as a dental hygienist and taught Hygiene at the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Southern California.  She graduated at the top of her class from the School of Dentistry at UCLA and went on to teach other dentists at UCLA from 1989 - 1995.  Dr. Kern lectures to dentists throughout California, and participates in dental study groups.  Dr. Kern is committed to continuing education and always utilizes the latest techniques to make treatment effective, comfortable and easy.  More information at www.jkerndds.com or call Dr. Kern’s office (831) 372- 8011.

Comments

[Williams Schermer]

During the holidays, people tend to eat and drink excessively, and oral care is often neglected. But through a moderated diet of teeth-friendly food and drinks, we smile and greet the New Year without tooth decay.