Nov 1, 2025
The holiday season is here — and that means yummy food, family gatherings, and lots of smiles! 🦃 But did you know some of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes can actually help keep your teeth healthy?
Here are 4 tasty foods that are good for both your body and your smile:
Crunchy Veggies
Carrots, celery, and broccoli aren’t just great side dishes — they help clean your teeth as you chew! Their crunchiness acts like a natural toothbrush, helping to scrub away plaque.
Cheese
Say “cheese!” 🧀 Not only does it make for a great photo, but cheese also helps strengthen tooth enamel and balance the acid levels in your mouth. That means fewer cavities.
Turkey
The star of the Thanksgiving table is packed with protein and phosphorus, two nutrients that help rebuild and protect tooth enamel. So go ahead — enjoy that turkey leg guilt-free!
Apples
Apples are sometimes called “nature’s toothbrush.” Their texture and fiber help clean your teeth and stimulate your gums, keeping your mouth feeling fresh after a big meal.
A Few Foods to Watch Out For
While sweet treats are part of the fun, sticky desserts and sugary drinks can linger on your teeth. Try rinsing your mouth with water after eating, or better yet — brush if you can!
Give Your Smile Something to Be Thankful For
As you enjoy the season of feasting and gratitude, remember that a healthy smile starts with healthy choices. At Falmouth Dental Arts, we’re here to help you keep your teeth strong and bright through every season.
Nov 15, 2016
Thanksgiving is a holiday centered on giving thanks. There are so many things to be grateful for, but have you ever thought of being thankful for your teeth? It may sound like a silly idea, but oral health is a big part of our overall health. Our mouths and throats directly affect the rest of our bodies. It’s important to maintain proper oral care to keep our teeth and gums healthy. Health aside, what are some other reasons to be thankful for your teeth? Here are a few:
- Teeth aid digestion. The process of digestion begins when you start chewing food and producing saliva in your mouth. In other words, the act of chewing actually aids digestion. Teeth allow us to chew foods into smaller pieces to ease swallowing and the absorption of nutrients into our bodies. Teeth especially give us the ability to eat tougher foods like steaks and corn on the cob. Give thanks for your teeth this Thanksgiving for aiding digestion.
- Teeth help you speak. The act of speaking would be fairly challenging if we didn’t have teeth. Think about how hard it would be to pronounce words. Your tongue touches your teeth when you speak certain words, which makes your enunciation clear to listeners. Thank your teeth for the gift of forming speech this holiday season.
- Teeth shape your face. Oddly enough, teeth shape our faces. Without teeth, our faces would appear shorter and sunken in. That’s one of the reasons why our faces change as our adult teeth come. This is due to what’s known as Vertical Dimension of Occlusion (VDO). People can lose VDO if they grind their teeth, lose teeth, or experience drifting teeth. When teeth shift around, this changes the shape and length of our faces. So thank your teeth for making you look the way you do!
- Teeth keep jawbones strong. Ever wonder why our jawbones are so strong? Thank your teeth for that too! Teeth force our jawbones to work hard by anchoring them. If we didn’t have teeth, our jawbones would weaken and shrink from lack of use, which can lead to injuries like fractures. This Thanksgiving, thank your teeth for keeping your jawbones strong and durable.
- Teeth bring confidence. Think about how you smile when you have your picture taken, greet new people, or laugh. Most people smile with their mouths open. This is because teeth give many people confidence. Smiles are contagious and are often the key factor in what makes us look attractive and friendly to others at first glance. Most people notice teeth first and foremost, making them a fairly important physical quality of our appearances. This Thanksgiving, smile wide in your family pictures and remember to thank your teeth for giving you that confidence.
Thanksgiving is a festive time of year to give thanks for all aspects of life. Thanking your dentist and yourself for maintaining good oral health is yet another reason to be thankful this year. As always, remember to brush and floss to keep your teeth clean and strong. Most importantly, if you need to schedule an appointment, simply call us at (207) 781-5900. Happy Thanksgiving!
