It’s the holiday season! That means friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors will likely be asking you to sample an assortment of holiday foods. Though they’re sure to be tasty, the damage these treats can do to your teeth is not something to take lightly. Read on to learn four helpful tips that will help your teeth survive the sweetest time of year.
Tip #1: Brush and Floss Regularly
No matter how busy you get this holiday season, make sure to take the time to brush twice and floss at least once per day. This will remove food, bacteria, and plaque from your teeth and lower your chances of getting cavities. You may even want to consider flossing between meals. Additionally, keeping a dental kit with travel-sized dental floss, toothpaste, and a toothbrush will allow you to clean your teeth no matter where the day takes you.
Tip #2: Skip Sugary and Sticky Foods
Caramel apples, candy canes, taffy, apple pie, and marshmallows are just a few of the sweet temptations of the holiday season. Indulging in these foods may seem like a good idea in the moment, but they can do a lot of damage to your teeth. Since these treats are sticky, they are hard to wash away. That gives harmful oral bacteria plenty of time to feast on the sugars they contain and release an acid attack on your tooth enamel. If you’re craving something sweet, eat low-sugar dark chocolate or sugar-free candy instead. These are much easier to wash out of your mouth, and sugar-free candy also increases saliva production.
Tip #3: Eat Protein
Starchy, high-carb foods like rolls, rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, and stuffing are common sights on the holiday buffet. Unfortunately, they break down into sugar during digestion, so they can damage your teeth in the same way as sweet treats. Instead of allowing these foods to wreak havoc on your oral health, fill up on high-protein meats like chicken, lean beef, fish, and turkey or veggies like peas, broccoli, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts.
Tip #4: Drink Water
No matter how many seasonal delicacies you do or don’t eat this year, make sure to drink plenty of water. This will wash away sugar and oral bacteria as well as keep your mouth from drying out so you can avoid oral health issues including increased plaque levels, tooth decay, gum disease, mouth sores, and cracked lips.
With these four tips, your teeth can make it through the holidays in good condition. Skipping the mashed potatoes and apple pie is worth a lifetime of good oral health and a bright, beautiful smile you can be proud of.
About the Practice
Are you in need of advice on how to protect your teeth from harm this holiday season? Dr. James A. Moreau Jr., Dr. Shannon O. Doyle, Dr. Israel M. Finger, and their friendly, accommodating team at MoreSMILES Dental are here to help. They serve Covington and the surrounding communities by administering safe, effective, and reliable oral health treatments to patients of all ages and can give you tips on how you can maintain a healthy smile. To schedule a checkup and cleaning or for more information, call their office at (985) 809-7645 or visit their website.