6 Tips to Keep Your Smile Bright During the Holidays
Holiday time usually means plenty of parties, get-togethers, and big dinners. If you are not careful, it can also mean unhealthy teeth and gums. Call our Hellertown, PA dental office today at (610) 838-0131 and schedule a dental cleaning and dental exam. By keeping your teeth professionally clean, you can help improve your dental health for the holidays. And thorough exams from our highly skilled dentists can make sure your mouth is healthy.
Tooth Decay and Gum Disease during Holidays
The biggest problems you’ll face around this time of year are tooth decay and gum disease. That’s because both are tied to sugar.
Your mouth is home to harmful bacteria. They can feed on just about anything, but they love sugar and carbs. Guess what’s in a lot of holiday meals and treats? Between fancy desserts and sweet drinks, you’ll probably be eating a lot more sugar than you normally do.
That’s why you need to call Hellertown Dental Group today. Dental cleanings and dental exams are vital pieces to helping keep your teeth and gums healthy despite all that extra sugar.
Keeping Your Smile Healthy during the Holidays
1. Brush and floss regularly no matter what.
Many people travel over the holidays to be with family. Others have to play host as family comes to them. Either way, there will be plenty of busted routines. Keeping your teeth and gums clean is very important over the holidays because of all the extra snacking and drinking that you do.
That’s why you need to continue brushing and flossing regularly even with all the holiday-related changes and events. This can help keep your teeth and gums healthy despite the extra work they’ll be doing around the holidays.
2. Stay away from candy canes.
You know sugar is bad for your teeth. Candy canes are almost pure sugar. Even the mini candy canes pack a lot of sugar, which turns liquid in your mouth and coats your teeth and gums. Since harmful bacteria love sugar, you’re feeding them. Plus, it’s easy to turn a candy cane into something with a sharp point that could harm your gums.
It’s fine to enjoy one or two candy canes around the holidays, but stay away from them whenever possible. That can help lower your risk of tooth decay and gum disease this time of year.
3. Don’t use your teeth as tools.
Wrapping and opening presents can be surprisingly hard sometimes. Most of the time, it’s easy. But every now and then, you’ll be tempted to use your teeth as a set of tool to hold things or tear open packaging.
The problem is how you could easily damage your teeth. Depending on how you use your teeth, you could also cut your gums. Take the time to wrap and open presents only using your hands. If you really need to, get a pair of scissors.
4. Rinse with water after eating.
Believe it or not, brushing immediately after a meal can be bad for your teeth. That’s because some foods are highly acidic. When you enjoy stuff like fruit or wine, brushing right afterward will push acid deeper into your enamel. That increases the damage acid can cause.
Instead, rinse your mouth out with plain water after eating. Not only will this help wash away the acid, it can remove food particles and sugar from your teeth and gums. Plus, staying hydrated is always a good idea.
5. Avoid sticky treats.
Not all sugar is the same. Toffee, caramel, and other “sticky” sweets coat your mouth with sugar. Because it’s so sticky, the sugar gets trapped up against your teeth and gums. That’s like laying out a holiday feast for the harmful bacteria behind tooth decay and gum disease.
As with candy canes, you can enjoy a small amount. After all, it is the holiday season. But whenever you can, avoid sticky treats.
6. Schedule a post-holiday dental cleaning and dental exam now.
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to prevent any and all problems with your teeth and gums. The next best things are dental cleanings and dental exams. Our hygienists can get rid of plaque and tartar to help keep your teeth and gums healthy. Our award winning dentists are highly trained and can spot problems while they’re still small and easier to treat.
Call us TODAY at (610) 838-0131 or contact us online to schedule your next dental cleaning and dental exam. Your teeth can get through all the holiday sweets just fine, but keeping your teeth professionally clean will go a long way to making that a reality.
