Taking Care of Your Teeth During the Season of BBQs!

BBQ season is upon us! That means steaks, ribs, potatoes, hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, endless pasta salads and coleslaw – and a frosty beverage with friends and loved ones. It can also mean gum irritation, tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease as many of these foods can create problems for your teeth and gums.

This may sound shocking, but, the first time your gums are tender the day after eating corn on the cob, brisket, or ribs, it will start to make sense. A lot of these foods get jammed in between your teeth, which will feed bacteria and irritate your gums.

What can you do? See what your D.C. dentist has to share!

Flossing once a day is recommended, twice a day is better, but, during the summer months, you need to floss after your BBQ meal – mandatory. Meats like steaks, ribs, pulled pork, and brisket tend to have stringy fats. These strings get stuck between your teeth and will feed bacteria and form plaque for days if not removed from flossing.

Corn on the cob is also another guilty party of getting stuck in between teeth. Corn contains a decent amount of sugars and will also feed the bacteria for many, many hours if not removed promptly.

Do yourself a favor and carry floss with you when you attend a barbeque this summer!

Foods like corn on the cob, coleslaw, and pasta salad often contain many sugar-based ingredients. These sugary foods will stick around for quite some time, feeding the bacteria, forming plaque, and forming cavities.

Do your ribs and pulled meats have barbeque sauce on them? Another reason to brush after a good barbeque meal is because barbeque sauce is packed with sugar. Chances are that the frosty beverage you are sipping on contains a host of sugars as well!

Make sure you brush after s’mores, too! The sweet chocolate and sticky marshmallow can be a powerful combination to keep the bad bacteria happy for a long time.

Summer is a great time to enjoy in BBQ festivities and spend time with family. Just be sure not to neglect your brushing and flossing – even potentially doing so after a delicious barbeque meal. Be sure to ask your D.C. dentist for any other tips to take care of your teeth during the summer.