Did You Overindulge on Valentine’s Day?
Don’t let your teeth pay the price! Visit the dentist in Upland CA today.
While no one can argue with the sentiment behind Valentine’s Day, unfortunately in its more commercial and materialistic manifestations this holiday does raise some red flags for your dental health. Fortunately, if you’ve overindulged in any Valentine’s treats that may harm your teeth, you can get expert help from the dentist in Upland CA.
Too Much Candy
Just like Halloween, Easter, Christmas, and other holidays with sweet treat traditions, Valentine’s Day brings a real risk of overindulging in chocolate, candy, and other sugary foods that can kick tooth decay into overdrive. It’s important to remember that when it comes to your teeth, it’s not the amount of candy you eat so much as the number of separate candy-eating sessions you have that matters. This is because the problem is the length of time your teeth are coated with sugar. The longer sugar sits on teeth, the more time bacteria have to feed on it and produce enamel-eroding acids. So if you and your sweetie devoured a huge box of chocolates together in one sitting, you’re better off than if you had popped a piece of candy every few minutes all day long.
However, in any case Valentine’s Day is a good reminder that you need to be careful about cleaning your teeth promptly after eating candy any day of the year. If you haven’t been doing a very good job of this, it would be wise to visit the dentist in Upland CA for a routine dental cleaning and exam.
Too Much Red Wine
For many people, a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner just wouldn’t be complete without a glass—or two, or three—of red wine. Unfortunately, red wine is one of those beverages like coffee, tea, and dark soda that can stain or discolor your teeth over time. The staining potential is particularly high if you don’t rinse your mouth out or brush your teeth after drinking the beverage.
Fortunately, your dentist in Upland CA has professional whitening treatments that can help visibly improve the color of your teeth and brighten your smile, even after many years of drinking a staining beverage like red wine.
No Time to Floss
Treating yourself to chocolate or wine isn’t the only way to indulge on Valentine’s Day. Skipping your chores can also be an indulgence. And because flossing simply isn’t sexy, it’s likely you skipped this part of your oral care routine on Valentine’s eve. Unfortunately, failing to floss can be very risky for your oral health. Food and bacteria can get trapped between teeth, where your toothbrush can’t reach them, and cause cavities.
Again, you can make up for this indulgence by visiting the dentist for a cleaning and exam to check for cavities. Your dentist may also be able to recommend a different type of flossing tool than the traditional spool of floss that will make it easier for you to keep up with this aspect of your home care routine.
