The holidays are a time filled with family, friends and a lot of food. For adults, a little extra slice of pie here and there won’t be too harmful, but for kids, it’s easier for junk foods to make a negative impact on their teeth. Kids may not remember to drink water or brush their teeth after eating sweets. In order to help keep your children’s teeth healthy, here are a few substitutes for holiday sweets!
- Oatmeal Cookies – Cookies are a favorite any time of the year but not all cookies are made equal. If you must have a sweeter cookie, you can substitute the sugar in any recipe with applesauce.
- Chocolate–Covered Strawberries – If your child really wants to eat chocolate, you can at least give them a small serving of fruit with it. Just make sure the fruit is not overly sugary.
- Pumpkin Pie – Pumpkin pie is one of the healthier options when it comes to pie. Pecan pie is one of the worst (it has a lot of butter and sugar) and also sticks to your teeth. Pies made of berries also have a lot of sugar to balance out the berries’ tartness.
- Lighter Hot Chocolate – A lot of instant hot chocolate mixes include ingredients that are unhealthy and bad for your teeth. Try making your own hot chocolate and lighten it by using a nut or soy milk. You can add unsweetened cacao and put your own limited amount of natural sweetener (honey, agave, maple syrup, etc.) Instead of whipped cream you can use whipped coconut milk to make it extra special.
Dr. Lorraine Burio of Candlewood Dental Care has been treating and educating patients for over twenty-five years. Our office serves the New Fairfield, New Milford, Danbury, and Sherman areas of CT and Pawling, Patterson and Putnam Lake of New York. You can call us at 203-746-1200 or make an appointment here.