Ask the Dentist: Philadelphia Food

Philadelphia has earned a well-deserved reputation as a city with great food. From cheesesteaks to soft pretzels, it's the perfect place to gain a few pounds. Few tourists come to our town without a side trip to Pat's and Geno's, or even a day trip to Pennsylvania Dutch country for some shoo-fly pie.

But what's a dentist in Philadelphia to do?

Dentists are very concerned about your oral health, and specifically how you take care of teeth and gums. But their concern doesn't stop at brushing and flossing; they're also concerned about what you eat, since what you eat affects your oral health.

So how do dentists in Philadelphia feel about that famous Philly phood?

Cheesesteaks. On the whole, cheesesteaks aren't so bad; they don't contain a lot of sugar and won't coat your teeth. But the fried rib-eye beef in a cheesesteak can get stuck between your teeth, so it's important to floss afterward. Every dentist in Philadelphia probably has at least one patient whose gums are unhealthy due to lack of regular flossing, so make sure to break out the dental floss after you finish that cheesesteak. Also: Many people like to season their cheesesteaks with ketchup, which can contain sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Not many people remember this.

Tastykakes. Ask anyone who moves away from the east coast: Tastykakes will be one of the first things you start to miss. Always delicious, soft and fresh, nothing says "Philadelphia food" like a box of Tastykake cupcakes, pies or other confections. But they're full of sugary frostings, fillings and jellies that can stick to your teeth, so take care to do two things: First, don't overeat these. It's bad for your teeth and your waistline. Second, be sure to brush your teeth as soon as possible after eating them.

Shoo-Fly Pie. This Pennsylvania Dutch delicacy is full of molasses -- a thick, sticky by-product of the process that turns sugar cane into sugar. And anything sticky and sugary can stick to your teeth and do some major damage. Be sure to brush after eating shoo-fly pie.

Soft Pretzels. Soft pretzels are essentially just bread and salt, so overall they're not the most harmful thing in the world for your teeth. But bread can get stuck in your back teeth and break down into sugars, so be sure to brush thoroughly before you go to bed.

Hard Candy. Possibly one of the worst things in the world for your teeth, hard candy can cause immediate damage, by breaking weakened teeth when you try to bite it, and long-term damage, as it sticks to your teeth like almost nothing else. Avoid eating hard candy as much as possible, and brush, rinse and floss right away if you do.

Comprehensive Family Dental is one of the premier dentists serving Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Give us a call to make an appointment today.