12 Holiday Season Oral Health Tips: Part 1
‘Tis the season… for celebrations, sweets, treats and more. We know that this time of year can throw even the most regimented person off his or her routine. So, in the first post in this series, we’re here to provide you with the first half of our holiday season oral health tips that can help you to keep your oral health on track and head toward the end of one year and into the next on a joyful note!
Maintain Your Brushing & Flossing Routine
You may find your schedule to involve even more hustling and bustling this time of year, but it’s important that you adhere to your regular oral health routine. This means brushing at least two times per day for two minutes each time, and flossing, too!
Set Some Ground Rules
We can all be honest with ourselves, especially this time of year. When you’re faced with a mouthwatering spread at a holiday party, it’s hard to put a firm stop to continuous grazing. We know, food is always better when it’s prepared by someone else; and food is always better when it’s so cute & tiny (think: cocktail hour at a wedding). However, if you don’t give yourself, your kids or your festivity frolicking sidekick a pep talk before you hit the table, then you may find yourself in more trouble than you anticipate. So set some ground rules & consider eating some healthy snacks (with a theme!) before party fare makes an appearance so that you don’t overindulge. After all, the end goal here is to maintain good oral health!
Be Mindful of What You Put into Your Mouth
The holidays are a time of revelry and with that merriment, we often consume a bevy of, well, beverages that can taint your teeth. Liquids like coffee, tea, soda and red wine are synonymous with staining, and we’re not talking about furniture, though that can be a casualty too. Such drinks can lead to superficial stains. These stains can typically be polished off, but they can also cause internal staining to your tooth enamel. Consider drinking through a straw to try to reduce the staining on your teeth. In addition to beverage consumption, smoking cigarettes can also lead to stains on your teeth and also cause gum damage. Keep your mouth (and the rest of your body!) happy this holiday season by reducing vices and enjoying quality time with your family in whatever capacity possible.
Reduce Sugar Intake
Yes, of course you’re surrounded by sweets and treats galore. However, the holidays are a good time to exercise self-restraint when you know it’s weeks of non-stop celebrating versus just one day! Soda and sugar-free drinks can negatively impact your oral health.
Offer Healthy Substitutes
Now we’re not recommending that you offer Brussels sprouts in place of gingerbread cookies (though secretly, we don’t hate the idea), but we are simply suggesting that there be an array of fruits, veggies and other healthy snacks available to accompany your smorgasbord of “good stuff”. It may also be worth your while to point out these holiday season tooth-healthy alternatives to your kiddos so that they’re aware that there’s more than just sweets to choose from. It’ll work, right?
Protect Your Tooth Enamel
To that end, it’s important to incorporate foods that can help to protect your tooth enamel while you’re partaking in festivities; this includes foods rich in calcium, fruits and vegetables, and protein-rich foods.
Stay tuned for the second half of our holiday season oral health tips in our next post! In the meantime, have questions? Just ask! We want to ensure that your oral health remains top of mind as we close out 2022.
