The turkeys are plump, the sweet potatoes firm and you can almost smell the scent of sage in the air from the stuffing … Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Thanksgiving is one of our favourite holidays of the year because it really does give us a chance to take a moment and reflect on all the great things we have in our lives. But Thanksgiving or not, we still need to take care of our teeth, so here are five recipe ideas you can use in your Thanksgiving dinner that get a big thumbs up from Dr. Naqvi!
General Do’s and Don’ts of Thanksgiving Dinner
We all love a delicious Thanksgiving dinner that makes us want to loosen our belts and curl up on the couch afterwards! But with all of the sugar, acidity and stickiness of things like cranberry sauce, pumpkin pecan pie and mashed potatoes, it’s enough to wake Dr. Naqvi up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat!
Make sure keep plenty of water available for you and your guests to drink. It’ll not only help keep you all hydrated and help you digest your food after you’ve eaten but it will help wash some of the leftover food particles, sugars and bacteria from inside your mouth.
Also, we know how you just want to crash on the couch and flick on your favourite TV show after dinner is all cleaned up, but take a few minutes to quickly brush your teeth. Your enamel and gums with thank you!
Five Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes That Aren’t Terrible for Your Teeth
Without further ado, here are five healthy recipes you can use this Thanksgiving:
- Hummus & Chips – When your guests arrive and smell the delicious turkey dinner you’re cooking, their mouths will water! Help them stave off the munchies without ruining their appetite by serving some hummus and chips. Kale chips are quite popular right now and you can also compliment with some raw vegetables and a bowl of tzatziki. Check out this easy hummus recipe on Inspired Taste.
- Pumpkin Curry Soup – A light soup is a perfect starter before the star of the show clucks his way out of your oven and onto your dinner table. And what better soup than a tasty and seasonal pumpkin curry soup from the good folks at food.com.
- Green Bean Casserole – Every star needs a good co-star, so give your turkey the perfect wingman (pun intended) with this healthy green bean casserole recipe from The Food Network.
- Rosemary Bacon Mushroom Stuffing – Okay, we’re going to fess up here a little and admit that we went a little num-num-num (Cookie Monster style!) when we saw this delicious looking recipe. Rosemary bacon mushroom stuffing? Yes, please! Check out the recipe on Well Plated by Erin.
- Apple Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Marshmallow Frosting – Pumpkin pie is a staple at Thanksgiving dinner, but if you’re looking to give your non-pumpkin-loving guests an alternative, check out apple cupcakes with cinnamon-marshmallow frosting over at Eating Well.
We want to wish all of our patients, family and friends a safe and happy Thanksgiving! Remember to take good care of yourselves, each other and your teeth this coming weekend, and if you’re looking for a family friendly dentist in Milton or Scarborough then call us to book a no-obligation consultation with Dr. Naqvi. Orion Dental offers a full range of dental services for the whole family and we’d love to take care of you and your families beautiful smiles!
P.S. Don’t forget those treatments you wanted to get done before the end of the year … book an appointment today!