05 Dec Dental Tips for a Healthy Holiday Season
‘Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry! Later this month, families will gather to spend some quality time together and dig into their favorite treats. Tables around the country will be filled with delicious food and loads of sweet treats. Our Prescott dental practice, Hicks Dental Group, wants to share a few tips on how you can keep your mouth healthy this season with these holiday dental tips:
1. Sugar isn’t so Sweet After All!
This wouldn’t be a proper dental blog if we didn’t remind you about the dangers of sugar! We understand the temptation to indulge—we all do it! But the problem with sugar and your oral health is that your mouth is filled with bacteria that feeds on sugar. This process creates harmful acid, which causes cavities. This acid is powerful enough to eat through your tooth’s enamel, the hardest substance in the body!
If you must enjoy a few sweets, just remember to brush after the meal or rinse your mouth with water. The water will flush the sugar and food debris from your teeth before it has a chance to cause too much damage.
2. Watch out for Starchy Treats
Much like sugar, starches, or carbohydrates, are also known to cause tooth decay. The bacteria in your mouth feed on carbs and starches in the same way as sugar. This is important to mention because so many Holiday dishes are loaded with delicious savory starches—stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, and sweet potato casserole are just a few! Just as with sweet treats, be sure to rinse your mouth out after eating these delicious holiday goodies if you can’t brush right away.
3. Avoid Staining your Pearly Whites
Coffee, red wine, tea, and cranberry sauce can all stain your teeth. Some of us have more of a problem with dental stains than others. If your teeth are particularly prone to staining, try to avoid these things over the holiday, or rinse out your mouth thoroughly after enjoying these foods and beverages. And remember, if you’re unhappy with the shade of your teeth, you can always whiten your teeth with our professional whitening service.
Happy Holidays from Hicks Dental Group in Prescott
We encourage our patients to enjoy the holidays—treats and all. Just follow these Christmas dental tips—try to limit your sugar intake and aim for upping your intake of leafy greens, which are high in Vitamin C. We hope you have a happy and safe Holiday season spending quality time with family and friends. And remember that we’re always here to meet your dental needs. Call us today to schedule a post-holiday cleaning and exam!
Image by Bruno Glätsch from Pixabay