Your waistline isn’t the only thing to suffer from seasonal dietary splurges. Your teeth also take a beating due to the traditional food items of the holidays. Any holiday is not a time to neglect dental care. You can encourage your kids to brush and floss after every treat by joining in on the practice. Kids like to brush and floss with Mom and Dad.
You don’t have to pass on the holiday treats to keep your teeth healthy as long as you continue good oral hygiene, even if it means carrying a travel toothbrush to use after eating party-time goodies. Just be smart about it, and don’t hesitate to ask your dentist.
If you find yourself eating more sweet, sugary, or chewy treats during the holiday season, to aid in Protecting Your Teeth make good use of your extra time off to brush and floss more often. You may find you have more time in the evenings or mornings if you or the kids, or both, have time off work or school during the holiday season. A few extra minutes spent on oral care, like brushing and flossing, can go a long way to help you protect your teeth from holiday treats. Once you get into a new daily routine, it may become habit.
Christmas and New Years is a period when all of us do a lot more snacking. The temptation of sweet treats, delicious drinks, and decadent desserts is especially powerful when you’re surrounded by them for weeks. We all know that this is hard on our waistlines, but did you ever consider the effect holiday treats have on your teeth?
Even if you’re diligent about brushing and flossing it’s easy to do lasting damage with all those new foods you’re eating. In order to help with protecting your teeth this holiday season we’ve put together a list of the holiday treats that damage your teeth the most:
Whether your kids are eating chocolate cake, sugar cookies or peppermint candy, they are ingesting sugar. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), naturally occurring bacteria in the mouth feed on this sugar, and the byproduct is acid. This acid can eat away at tooth enamel, which can lead to tooth decay and cavities. The more time teeth spend exposed to sugar, the higher the risk that your children will face dental health problems. Hard candies, and sticky candies such as taffy and caramel, can be worse for teeth than other treats such as cake and cookies.
Protecting your teeth with healthy holiday snacks
Cakes, pies, candies and other treats are around in large quantities and at Mona Lisa Smlie Dental, we don’t want to tell you not to indulge. You have to decide what is best for you. But if you do decide to treat yourself, here are some tips to help with protecting your teeth and keeping your teeth healthy:
Chomp on cheese – Choose cheese to snack with if you’re drinking alcoholic drinks at parties. The pH balancing effects help neutralize the acid that’s in boozy beverages and the calcium is great for your tooth health as well.
Dip into veggies – At holiday events, skip the trays of Christmas cookies and brownies and instead fill your plate with veggies. Broccoli and carrots are great treats for your teeth because they’re loaded with Vitamin A which strengthens your enamel.
Fill up on fruit – Instead of piling on sugary desserts at your holiday meal, turn to fruit instead. If you’re having a big dinner or party, rather than prepping a number of cakes and pies, try sticking to one sweet dessert and then prep a big fruit plate to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Stay away from teeth-staining foods – Christmas colors, those colors came from many of the foods we consume during the season, while others were made to match the seasonal colors. These colors are bright and vibrant and ready to stain those pearly whites.
Consume healthy holiday foods, like: Turkey, Mashed potatoes, Cranberries, Yogurt, Milk. Pumpkin, Cheese, Vegetables and Nuts. Peppermint-flavored beverages (particularly tea. Gingerbread cookies have less sugar than other baked goods. Dark chocolate, stick to high cacao content chocolate (70-85%).
Avoid unhealthy holiday foods. This includes: Candy canes, Caramel, Hard candies, Sour candies, Sticky or chewy candies, Sugary Baked Goods, White wine, Carbonated and Sugary Drinks
Only consume foods at mealtimes instead of snacking throughout the day. Snacking endlessly on Christmas leftovers may be a good way to get rid of all that food, but this method of eating is actually bad for your dental health. Eating without a significant break doesn’t give saliva a chance to clean the bacteria off your teeth.
Ideally, you should resist the temptation to snack throughout the day. Consuming holiday foods only at mealtimes is better for your oral health. Limit the number of times you eat sugar throughout the day
Sugar is in a lot more than desserts. Read product labels, research sugary foods and choose which sugary foods you want to indulge in that day. For instance, do you want that piece of pecan pie or would you rather have the glass of eggnog? Both contain a lot of sugar. Limiting your intake of sugar means making some tough choices (unless you don’t like eggnog, in which case you may have to make another food/beverage choice). If you are having a hard time limiting your sugar intake. Save the treat that will keep for another day.
During the holiday season, it’s OK to indulge a little. Just remember moderation is the key to staying healthy. Be sure to keep to a healthy regimen of oral hygiene and maybe put a few more hours in at the gym! Instead of telling kids holiday sweets are forbidden, encourage them to look forward to healthier products. As an example, stringing popcorn can be as much fun as chewing on a sugary candy cane, and freshly-popped popcorn will not harm their teeth.
Simple tips for protecting your teeth
Practice Moderation – Moderation is an important concept in protecting your teeth that can be hard for kids to grasp. Set a good example by exhibiting balance, especially on your plate. Christmas treats are great, but don’t forget to “indulge” in foods that will help absorb all of that sugar. Fill your plate with healthy veggies and some protein, then sit down with family and friends to enjoy the Christmas season!
Brush, rinse and floss if you can – Many of you may be traveling this Christmas. While you may be out of town, you can still bring a toothbrush, mouthwash and floss with you to take care of your teeth between meals. At the very least, bring some floss with you so you can clean in between your teeth after snacking.
Don’t use your teeth as a tool – The holidays come with packages to open, tape to apply to presents and loads of other things you may be tempted to break open or cut with your teeth. Don’t do it! Using your teeth as a tool can cause chips and breaks.
Drink A Lot of Water – There are times when we feel hungry in which we just need to drink some water to rehydrate. Provide family and friends with plenty of water to help balance out all of the food and to wash away any sticky, sugary residue that might remain on teeth. Offer different natural ways to flavor their ice water, such as peppermint leaves or freshly cut lemon wedges for variety.
Keep Hands Busy – Christmas is traditionally a break for children and adults from school and work commitments. While this is a great time to relax, too much down time can mean overindulging in sweets. Engage family members and friends in games or toys received during the Christmas holiday. Offer sugar-free chewing gum while they play to keep both mouths and hands busy!
Stop Using Tobacco Products – Tobacco is one of the leading causes to dental risks. It can cause cavities, mouth diseases, discoloration, and even lead to cancer. People that smoke are much more likely to lose their teeth than people who don’t use tobacco products at all.
Drink Less Alcohol – Like tobacco, alcohol is another substance that decreases your health with excessive use. This can lead to gum disease, and can also cause discoloration. Also, people that drink excessively have a weaker immune system. This allows bacteria to do damage to your mouth and ruin your smile.
Don’t eat right before bed – During the holidays, parties can last long into the night, so it’s a good idea to give yourself an hour between those last sips of wine and slices of pumpkin pie and bedtime. During sleep our bodies produce less saliva which makes it harder to balance PH levels in your mouth.
Schedule a cleaning in January – It’s a good time to get your teeth checked and cleaned and start the new year right. So when you finish the last of that peanut brittle, give us a call to get your teeth squeaky clean!
Smile-Friendly Stocking Stuffers
Your stocking forecast this year will almost certainly include a dusting of sugar. (The National Confectioners Association says 77% of people include candy in holiday gifts.) Giving candy? Consider chocolate. It washes off your teeth more easily than stickier sweets like candy canes. And when you’re stuffing those stockings full of chocolate Santas, don’t forget to include an ADA-Accepted toothbrush or toothpaste! You can also surprise your child with a new dental care appliance, such as an electric toothbrush or a water flosser.
Electric Toothbrush
We love this gizmo; it’s perfect for that someone who wants fabulous teeth. It does an excellent job of cleaning both teeth and gums, and leaves your mouth feeling clean and fresh. A total dental health package. Ask your hygienist for recommendations.
Teeth-Whitening Treatment
The Christmas gift that keeps on giving into the new year. The treatment(s) restore teeth to their whitest white by removing the deep stains that develop over time. We suggest professional office whitening, which offers custom fitting trays that allow color change in a short period of time.
Kids will feel quite grown up when they have the chance to use these appliances. Make sure to choose appliances that are appropriate for your child’s age.
Schedule a dentist appointment
The holiday season is actually a good time to schedule a routine dental checkup if you haven’t had one in a while. Keep those pearly whites clean and healthy before Christmas (and after). Find out holiday hours of your dentist’s office so you aren’t left in a bind. And remember what to do should
