Dental Care Tips for the Holiday Season
There’s a lot to love about the holiday season but there are some things to keep an eye on, too. For example, taking care of your teeth. Beginning with Halloween and going through the first of the year, the holidays can be a wonderful thing for those with a sweet tooth. From pies at Thanksgiving to candy at Halloween, and Christmas cookies and everything in your stocking – there’s no shortage of sweet!
No matter how much you love sweets, it’s important to know that plaque loves those sweets even more than you do. Plaque builds up every day, but on those days that you’re eating a lot of sweet, the bacteria that forms plaque can go into overdrive. When the plaque buildings it produces acid. Eventually it will eat away the enamel of your teeth, cause decay, and lead to a cavity.
There are literally hundreds of species of bacteria that are living within plaque. Think of it like a very well-established coral reef. The bacteria are able to create what’s essentially a proactive shield that prevents them from being affected by many mouthwashes – and even antibiotics. The good news is that there are many other ways to keep your teeth clean and healthy over the holidays.
Start with the basics
At California Dental Group, we suggest that you begin by focusing basic home dental care. This includes regular tooth brushing to get rid of plaque and lower the bacteria numbers in your mouth. If you don’t brush regularly, then the bacteria will turn that leftover sugar into acids. There are other ways to neutralize acid too, like rinsing your mouth out with baking soda, eating a natural cheese, or chewing gum – as long as it’s sugar free.
That said, while brushing your teeth is important, it’s best to wait about half an hour after eating or drinking a sweet food until you brush your teeth. Why? Because when you eat sweets, the enamel on your teeth is softened. Waiting 30 minutes allows it to re-harden so that you don’t damage it when brushing.
Try to moderate sweets – especially soda
We do want you to enjoy yourself this holiday season but it’s also a good idea to try and moderate how many sweets you’re eating. If you drink soda, try switching to diet soda to get rid of all that sugar. The worst sweets for creating cavities are any that can get stuck in our teeth or crevices, such as gummies, caramels, and anything sticky or gooey.
One of the better sweets to try is dark chocolate. It isn’t sticky or acidic so it doesn’t have the potential to harm your teeth as much as other foods. It’s also full of antioxidants, which can further prevent bacteria from sticking to your teeth.
If the year is coming to an end and you realize you haven’t been to the dentist in a while, then now is a great time to make an appointment for a cleaning and exam. Start the new year off right with healthy teeth and gums!
