The holidays are approaching, and while we just can’t wait to chow down on delicious cakes and cookies galore, our teeth may not feel the same way. Here are 5 tips to keep your teeth happy and healthy during this holiday season:
- 1. Maintain good teeth cleaning habits: Just because the holiday season gets busier, doesn’t mean that you should compromise on your usual dental cleaning habits. Continue to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste.
- 2. Keep the sweets to a minimum: As much as we might love mom’s famous peach cobbler, we have to be careful with how much we eat. The bacteria in our mouth thrive on sugar, and end up producing more acid with its intake—acid that can break down our teeth and cause cavities. If you must indulge, remember to brush your teeth afterwards. If your toothbrush isn’t immediately available, rinsing your mouth with water helps in the meantime.
- 3. Avoid chewing hard candy or ice cubes: While we’re on the subject of sweets, try to avoid chewing hard candies. While your teeth are capable of breaking down crunchy foods like chips, it’s not good to put extra stress on them by chewing harder things like candy or ice cubes. Doing so can lead to cracked or chipped teeth, and can cause discomfort to sensitive teeth.
- 4. Drink lots of water: Water not only helps clear our mouth of lingering sugars that can lead to tooth decay, it can also provide our teeth with fluoride, which promotes good dental health.
- 5. Don’t forget about us: While dental offices are closed on major holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, they always stay open throughout the rest of the holiday season. Don’t let a holiday closure be an excuse to not schedule an appointment for a cleaning or checkup for another day!
