Top Dental Tips for the Holidays (Part 2)
We’re back with five MORE holiday dental tips! If you haven’t taken a peek at part 1, make sure you check that post out as well.
Only Use Your Teeth for Their Intended Purposes
Teeth are great for many things, including chewing and enunciating. But, contrary to popular belief, they do not make good tools. Using your teeth to open bottles, packages, snack bags and other similar activities can only lead to tooth damage.
Engaging in this activity will weaken the tooth enamel and the more fragile edges of your teeth, which can lead to cracking and breakage, and an expensive cosmetic repair job.
Cinnamon Gum is More Than a Breath Freshener
Did you know that cinnamon gum contains an ingredient called cinnamaldehyde? It’s the essential oil that gives the gum that crisp, spicy flavor, but it does more than just wake up your salivary glands. It can also hunt down and destroy cavity-forming bacteria. Cinnamon gum can be an effective solution for keeping bacteria formation to a minimum in between brushes.
Cinnamon can also keep your breath fresher for longer, which really helps if you just can’t resist those garlic-heavy holiday dishes!
Light & Clear-Colored Beverages are Your Friends
If you’ve invested time all year in whitening and brightening your teeth, the last thing you want to do is wake up on New Year’s morning and wonder why your formerly white teeth now appear to be a pale-ish pink. Yes, red wine is purportedly full of cancer-fighting antioxidants, as is the tasty cranberry juice in those New Year’s Eve cosmopolitans. However, both are also potent tooth-stainers that can quickly undo all your oral health care hard work.
To keep your teeth as white as possible this holiday season, opt for light-colored or clear beverages. They will still be very tasty, but they won’t leave your teeth looking any worse for wear.
Cheese, Please
Many people indulge in and enjoy a sip of bubbly during the holidays, but adult beverages are notorious for their high acid content, which can wear away relentlessly at your protective tooth enamel over time.
To cut the acid content without cutting into your fun, nibble on a chunk of cheese in between sips. In the truly miraculous nature of food science, the alkaline in the cheese neutralizes the acid in the beverage. Best of all, they both taste great!
A To-Go Teeth Cleaning Kit is Always a Good Idea
If you are like most, chances are, you won’t find yourself at home twiddling your thumbs too often during the upcoming holidays. And you certainly won’t be eager to carve out time when you do finally get home each night for brushing, flossing and using that minty mouthwash.
So what’s a good solution? One of the absolute best compromises is to pack a little to-go teeth cleaning kit that you can take to parties with you. Not only will this make you rescue-ready if you end up with spinach dip wedged between your two front teeth, but it will help you remember to care for your teeth during this particularly hectic time of year.
There you have it – our top 10 holiday dental tips for surviving the busiest season of the year. Have additional questions? Just ask!
