The holiday season is upon us and with it comes many delicacies to delight your taste buds. Meanwhile, your teeth and gums may end up being compromised if you do not take care in how you partake at holiday parties. On holidays and Christmas, it is important to maintain healthy dental care habits. Here are some useful dental tips for the holiday season to help maintain a healthy and bright smile.
Eat Food that Keeps Your Teeth Healthy.
You may want to give yourself permission to splurge a little bit and enjoy some of the holiday delicacies and treats. But be sure to balance this out with healthy and crunchy fruit and veggies (carrots are a great choice), whole grains and plenty of water. Your teeth will thank you for making healthy choices.
Avoid Sugary Foods.
It may be tough to say no to those sweet treats that traditionally are served once a year. Be careful to avoid sticky, hard, chewy, or gummy sweets that may harm your teeth or gums and are difficult to remove when brushing your teeth.
Eat Turkey.
This is perhaps the best choice of food during the holiday season since it has no direct consequences for your oral and dental hygiene. Turkey provides protein and phosphorous which are good for your teeth.
Choose Beverages that Are Light-Colored or Clear.
If you have invested time in whitening your teeth the last thing you want to do is drink beverages that stain them. If you wish to enjoy a glass of red wine or a cranberry drink for example, you should consider drinking in moderation to avoid stains on your teeth. Adult beverages also are high in acid content and may wear away tooth enamel over time. To cut the acid content but not the fun, nibble on a little cheese to help neutralize the acid in the drink.
Do not Use your Teeth to Open Presents.
Teeth should not be used as tools this holiday season to open presents, bottles, packages, snack bags or other items. Using your teeth in this fashion can weaken enamel and cause a cracked or broken tooth.
Maintain a Daily Oral Health Routine.
Make sure to continue a normal routine of twice a day brushing and flossing to avoid an extra trip to the dentist in the new year! Your goal should be to have a clean bill of dental health in the new year.
Schedule your post-holiday cleaning and checkup today to help you maintain a healthy and bright smile in the new year. Dr. Melchers and his experienced staff are here to address all your oral health care issues. Contact us today to see how we can best meet your dental care needs.
