It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but for your teeth, it can be a season of bad tidings. Tasty holiday treats along with the craziness and disruption caused by shopping, company, and get-togethers can all conspire to throw you off your routine and treat your teeth poorly.
While you’re decking the halls, make sure you’re not wrecking your teeth with cavities, gum disease, or other oral health problems. It may take some extra effort during the holidays to keep your teeth and gums healthy, but try to keep in With that in mind these three-holiday healthy teeth tips between now and New Year’s (and throughout 2019):
- Avoid sticky and chewy foods. Would it be the holidays without cookies, candy, pie, and other delicious sweets? Probably not, but holiday foods and treats tend to be effective at causing cavities, tooth decay, and other oral health problems. In particular, chewy and sticky foods like candy canes, snickerdoodles, and caramels – can spread humbug all over your teeth.
They do so because sticky foods tend to – unsurprisingly – stick to your teeth and can remain there even with vigorous brushing. The longer food particles remain on your teeth, the more likely it is that the bacteria which cause tooth decay, cavities, and other oral health problems will grow.
- Stay hydrated. To help keep those particles and bacteria from hanging around, one of the best things you can do is drink lots of water. Doing so can help flush away the acids and sugars that build up in your mouth, wash away leftover food which can breed bacteria, and dilute the enamel-damaging acid produced by that bacteria.
While you’re running around during the holidays, try to keep up with your usual water consumption routine and aim for at least 64 ounces per day. When you can, choose water over sodas or juices. As an added holiday bonus, water can also keep you from overindulging on the season’s copious amounts of food as it can mimic a sense of fullness.
- Keep up with your oral hygiene routine. Life can get so hectic and routines can be so disrupted during the holidays that we can easily forget to keep up with the basic habits we follow throughout the year to maintain our health. This includes our oral health regimen. Stick to your regular twice-a-day brushing and flossing routine as much as possible.
Assure A Smile: Miami Holistic Dentistry
During the holiday season and throughout the year, the Miami holistic dentistry team at Assure A Smile works with our patients to help them develop healthy, natural, and effective oral hygiene habits as part of an overall wellness strategy and holistic healthcare approach.
To learn more about holistic dentistry or to schedule an appointment that can start your new year off right, please contact us today at 305-274-0047.
