Keep Your Teeth Healthy During the Holiday Season
During the holiday season, it seems like you can’t walk down the street without some kind of tasty confection being shoved in your face. The holidays may be known for festive decorations, spending time with family, and the occasional gift, but it’s also a time for many people to loosen their belts and gorge on sugary snacks.
Whether it’s candy, cake, pie, or all the above that is your ultimate weakness, you also need to consider the effects that a high amount of sugar will have on your teeth. If you don’t take the steps that are necessary to keep your teeth healthy over the holidays, you might find yourself in a precarious dental situation. But, not to fear! We’re here to discuss what you can do to enjoy your snacks while still caring for your teeth.
Stick to the 2-2-2 Rule — All Ages!
The holidays can be hectic, but it’s important that you keep up with your regular oral care routine and make sure that your children do the same. The basic 2-2-2 rule should be followed even with all of the busy festivities going on. If you’re not familiar with this guideline, it means two dental checkups and teeth cleanings per year by a dentist in Palm Harbor, brushing your teeth twice daily, and brushing for a full two minutes.
Drink Water Between Snacks
Although you might not consider water to be an essential part of how to keep your teeth healthy over the holidays, drinking water is a fantastic way to wash away sugar so that it doesn’t cling to your teeth. Drinking holiday favorites like eggnog is perfectly fine, of course, but just make sure that water is also a part of keeping your holiday merry and bright.
Avoid Really Sticky Treats
This is actually something you should take to heart as a general rule, but it’s absolutely vital when it comes to figuring out how to keep your teeth healthy over the holidays. Many treats that you come across are going to be gooey and sticky, and that increases the likelihood that these food items will cling to your teeth and cause damage. We’re not saying to cut them out completely, but it’s a good idea to limit how much you eat.
Give Your Child a Themed Toothbrush
The last thing any child wants to hear over the holidays are healthy teeth tips. However, pediatric dentistry often counts on a child’s love of cartoons, superheroes, and other types of characters to help maintain proper oral care with the use of themed toothbrushes. You can even do something like invokes their desire to be strong and responsible like Wonder Woman or Superman to give them a reason to concentrate on the health of their teeth.
Go Easy on the Candy Canes
Candy canes and other hard candies are absolutely delicious, but even though they’re made to dissolve in your mouth over a long period of time, many people simply bite into them prematurely. Any type of hard candy can harm your teeth oh, so it’s best to limit how many you have. And don’t think for a moment that this is another tip for your children, because adults do it, too!
Provide Plenty of Healthy Snacks
Yes, it’s true that people love to partake in the deliciously sugary snacks that are so prevalent during the holiday season. That’s exactly why it’s so vital to the health of your teeth that you keep healthy snacks on hand. Fruits like apples, oranges, and bananas are always popular, but there are plenty of low-sugar snacks on the market these days, including those with a holiday theme.
Limit Your Teeth to Food Only
It may be hard to believe that we need to add something like “Don’t open your presents with your teeth” on our list of tips on how to keep your teeth healthy over the holidays, but many people damage their teeth that way every year. It’s not limited to presents, though. People will also use their teeth to cut through plastic ties and similar items. This may seem like a harmless activity, but the truth is that it can sometimes lead to a restorative dentistry emergency at times.
Be Ready for Overnight Stays
During the holidays, it’s always good to be ready for anything. There may arise a situation where you’re either planning to stay at a family member’s house over the holidays or you may receive an impromptu invite and you don’t want to say no. Bringing travel toothbrushes along with you just in case will do the trick.
Contact HarborView Dental Health to Schedule an Appointment Today!
These tips on how to keep your teeth healthy during the holidays will be very effective, but you must also make regular dental visits. Harbor View Dental Health can provide you with gentle dental in Palm Harbor. Call (727) 785-4716 to learn more.