As the calendar moves from spring to summer, people are getting to host all kinds of parties. The key to every good party is the food that you prepare for your guests. Summertime BBQs have been around for years, and the menus tend to be similar across the board.
Now that summer is in full swing, barbeques and summer parties are thrown left and right. It’s a time for you, your family, and your friends to come together and celebrate the warm weather and more downtime. However, with the delicious BBQ food comes some hidden dangers to your dental health that you may not be aware of at the moment. Taking the time to schedule regular dental checkups and treat dental infections in Mercer County, NJ, allow you to plan your summer feasts accordingly.
Added Sugar In Everything
When it comes to your oral health, keeping track of the amount of added sugar in your diet can help protect your teeth for the long haul. BBQ meals often feature a combination of sweet and savory flavors that help give each main course and side dish a unique flavor profile. However, if you aren’t careful, that sweetness can quickly become a dental care nightmare.
Most BBQ grilling recipes feature sauces with an added dose of sweetness to give the food something extra. The added sugar can interact with and break down the hard enamel of your teeth — and once the enamel breaks down, it can require frequent dental services to fix the problems.
How Sugar Damages Your Teeth
Added sugar is often cited as a direct cause of tooth decay and cavities. If you don’t take steps to counter the influx of high sugar foods found at your next summer BBQ, cavities can form and become progressively worse. If you aren’t keeping up with your regular dental checkups, potential problems with your teeth are likely to worsen and cause more severe issues down the line.
Watch Out for Acidity
Sweetened foods aren’t the only danger that lies in wait at your summer cookout. Believe it or not, highly acidic foods can cause as much damage to your teeth as foods high in sugar. While hitting different foods with a touch of acid from a lemon or lime can enhance the taste of your meals, going too overboard can negatively affect your teeth.
How Acidity Damages Your Teeth
Similar to how sugar damages your teeth, acidic compounds erode the enamel of your teeth and cause them to weaken over time. This weakening of your enamel can lead to more cavities, chipping, and cracking of your teeth if left untreated. With the help of an experienced dental practice, you can get your teeth fixed and learn how to better protect them in the future.
Helping protect your kids’ teeth in the summer can prove challenging if they are constantly going to summer cookouts and eating unhealthy foods in excess. Our general pediatric dentistry practice in Mercer County, NJ, can help you give your children’s teeth a fighting chance against tooth decay this summer. Schedule your next appointment with Hamilton Dental today!
