The holiday season is winding down and the new year is upon us. Time to start making your plans for the coming spring. But, while you’re thinking about fresh flowers and green grass, take some time to follow these tips from a local dentist.
Five Smart Tooth Care Tips to Remember
Use these tips to guide you through your holiday and post-holiday activities:
- Shell nuts, don’t crack them. Otherwise you may end up with chipped, fractured, or broken teeth. For the same reason, you should avoid chewing on your nails and biting down on hard candy or ice.
- Use care when choosing treats from snack platters. Stay away from hard and sticky items that can cling to your teeth or chip the enamel. Stick with whole-grain breads, cheeses, and similar items.
- Never rip open packages with your teeth. That’s just another way of putting your dental health at risk. Use scissors or other appropriate products instead. Otherwise you may find yourself needing the services of an emergency dentist.
- Eat those leftover holiday snacks as part of a regular meal. If you’re like most of us, then you find yourself with an abundance of holiday goodies left over from parties, gift giving, etc. If you decide to eat those sugary indulgences, then enjoy them at the same time as a nutritious lunch or dinner, instead of by themselves as an end-of-meal dessert. This will protect your teeth, and the rest of your body, from a concentrated sugar overload.
- Drink water often. Most of us are unable to brush as often as we should. But all of can benefit from drinking more water throughout the day. This humble liquid offers a world of benefits, from helping to clean our teeth to keeping us hydrated. So tip your bottle or glass and enjoy a refreshing swig.
Why You Should Start Your New Year with a Trip to Your Dentist
Settling back into your daily routine after a holiday break can sometimes present challenges. Still, it pays to start the new year with a dental exam and cleaning. Here’s why:
- Plaque and tartar have a way of building up on our teeth during the holidays, between the seasonal festivities and the disruption to our normal schedule. Scheduling a thorough cleaning early in the year is a good way to keep those indulgences from turning into painful cavities.
- Seeing your dentist in January will allow the office staff to review your coverage information and make sure that everything is up to date. This can prevent time-consuming and stress-inducing hassles later on, when you need care as soon as possible.
- The new year is all about making, and keeping, positive resolutions. Scheduling an oral exam and cleaning while 2019 is still young is a great way to set the tone for a healthy and productive year ahead.
Warm holiday memories can last a lifetime. But so can oral health problems, unless we take common sense steps to prevent them from starting. Use the tips in this post as your guide to a tooth-positive 2019.
About the Author
Dr. James A. Moreau Jr. has been practicing dentistry for almost 40 years. He earned his DDS degree from the LSU School of Dentistry in 1980 and keeps his skills sharp through ongoing training. You can reach his office online or by calling (985) 809-7645.