It’s not just our waistlines that suffer over the holidays. With all of the sugary drinks, sweet treats and constant snacking, our teeth really get hit hard too.
Follow these 7 tips to make sure your teeth survive the holidays and that you ring in the New Year with your best smile yet!
Tip #1: Don’t break your routine
Our routines can be all over the place during the holidays with time off work, family visiting and holiday get-togethers. One routine that should stay completely intact though? Your oral care routine.
You may have had a couple of cocktails one night but don’t let that stop you from flossing. And you may just be staying in and watching a movie one morning, but don’t let that stop you from brushing. Maintaining your oral care routine is more important than ever over the holidays, so don’t let anything throw you off!
Tip #2: Beware of grazing
Your mom has peanut brittle sitting on the counter, your sister has Christmas cookies in the living room and your brother just finished making hot cocoa. It’s tempting to just snack all day!
Beware though! The longer foods stay in your mouth, the more damage they can cause to your teeth, so snacking on sugar all day can definitely cause problems. It’s much healthier for your teeth if you sit down to a meal, eat everything you’re going to eat, then brush your teeth.
Tip #3: Choose your cocktails wisely
Dark-colored drinks like rum and coke are the worst offenders when it comes to damage and erosion to your teeth. They have the lowest pH and therefore are the most acidic. However, lighter colored drinks like Champagne and Vodka are better options as they have a higher pH, so will cause less damage. Cheers!
Tip #4: Eat cheese!
Yup, you read that right! Cheese is one of the few festive indulgences that’s actually good for your teeth. Cheese reduces the acid levels in your mouth after eating, helping to protect your teeth. This is one I certainly don’t mind following.
Tip #5: Chew sugar-free gum
Not only will chewing gum keep your breath fresh and stop you from constantly craving those sugary snacks, but it could also help keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Chewing gum stimulates saliva which helps reduce the acidity in your mouth and clear debris between your teeth. As a bonus, it speeds up your metabolism which helps digestion.
Tip #6: Hydrate
Nothing is a cure-all quite like water. Drinking lots of water throughout the day will help wash away some of the sugars and food particles from your teeth that can cause stains and cavities. Staying hydrated also helps with your saliva production, which we know keeps our mouths healthy!
Tip #7: Schedule an appointment with your dentist
There’s no better time to schedule an appointment with your dentist than right after the holidays! Splurging happens and even if you try your hardest to keep your mouth healthy, everyone gets thrown off a little. Schedule a cleaning and a check up to make sure you’re still on the right track.
And if you’ve been considering dental implants, there’s no better time than now to take action. Having oral pain and sensitivity over the holidays can put a damper on everything. Dental implants are the best solution to completely restore missing or failing teeth and give you the ability to enjoy all of the foods you once loved again.
Article originally published at yournewteethnow.com.