A Dentist Gives 5 Tips for a Healthy Holiday Season

Whether you’re with family, friends, or even at work, the holiday season seems to have delicious snacks and sweets around every corner. These sugar-filled treats taste great, but they can cause damage to your oral health. During this time of year, your brushing and flossing routine may even get thrown off from traveling and a busy schedule, but it’s actually the most important time to practice good oral healthcare. Thankfully, your dentist has 5 easy tips on how to keep your mouth healthy during the holidays.

Tip #1: Don’t Use Your Teeth as Tools

The holidays often bring packages filled with fun surprises. The hard-to-open packaging combined with the impatience of waiting can sometimes cause people to turn to their teeth for help. Whether it’s ripping open a present or cracking a bottle, it’s worth the few extra seconds to use the right tools. Using your teeth for anything other than chewing food can result in painful cracks, chips, and breaks.

Tip #2: Watch Out for Sticky Sweets and Treats

An indulgence is okay every now and then, but candy like caramel and taffy can stick to your teeth for long periods of time, increasing your risk of cavities. If you’re looking for a sweet treat, your best bet is to turn to chocolate instead. It dissolves in your mouth much faster, so your chances of tooth decay are less likely. However, you should always remember to brush your teeth after eating sweets, especially before bed.

Tip #3: Use Your Nutcrackers

Nuts are delicious and good for you, but their shells can damage your pearly whites. Try shelling nuts before biting into them or buying pre-shelled nuts to save your mouth. Cracking nuts with your teeth can even damage your gums because the shell can get stuck in between your teeth.

Tip #4: Avoid Chewing on Hard Items

Try to avoid chewing on things like ice cubes or hard candy. Besides potentially cracking your teeth, hard candy can also cause tooth decay because its sugar gets inside of your saliva and coats your teeth. That’s why you should avoid hard candy altogether this holiday season. As for ice cubes, you can let them melt in your mouth or just wait for them to melt in your drink instead of putting your teeth at risk.

Tip #5: See Your Dentist

After all of the holiday chaos has settled down, visit your dentist for a regular checkup and cleaning to make sure your oral health is in tip-top shape. They’ll be able to prevent and detect early signs of dental issues like cavities, tooth decay, gum disease, and more to keep you healthy.

Are you ready for the holiday season? Now you can celebrate, travel, and enjoy all of the delicious food with the confidence of knowing you’re taking care of your teeth too!

About the Practice

At Purple Plum Dentistry, we have a team of 3 expert dentists who each have various specialties to provide you with the best treatment possible. They believe in patient education, which is why they want you to know some simple ways to keep your teeth healthy during the holidays. For any questions, they can be reached through their website or by phone at (703) 998-4244.