The 12 Tips of Christmas for Keeping Your Teeth Great Through The Holidays

As a Florida dentist, we know how many of our clients forget about keeping their teeth clean for the holidays. Usually, the first post-holiday appointments show a lot of tooth damage from snacking and other less savory uses of teeth. You need to keep your teeth working even after the holidays, so taking care of them is an important consideration. That’s why we deiced to cover the twelve most vital tips for keeping your teeth healthy through the Christmas and New Year season.

1. Have a Traveling Tooth Cleaning Kit

Holidays mean that you’ll be traveling a lot. Even as a dentist in Florida, we visit friends and family upstate sometimes, meaning that we’re not near our regular tooth cleaning apparatus. Sure, you can pack a toothbrush, but that’s just the bare minimum. If you want to ensure that you take care of your teeth throughout your travels, get a portable tooth cleaning kit. They’re tiny, inexpensive, and gives you the peace of mind to keep up with your dental routine.

2. Nibble On Cheese as a Snack

A study published by Western Kentucky University noticed that cheese tends to reduce the acidity on teeth biofilm. Acid is what leads to tooth decay. Holidays are typically about food, and you’ll probably be having a lot of it. Instead of sipping some eggnog or other sweet treat between, you might want to consider nibbling on some cheese. Not only is it a nice, light snack, but it’ll help to control the acid that leads to tooth decay.

3. Look For Light or Clear Beverages

Teeth need to be taken care of during the holidays, and drinking dark-colored drinks can stain them. In particular, mulled wine can leave long-term stains on your teeth long after you’re done drinking. Light or transparent beverages such as white wine and other drinks may do wonders to keep your teeth white throughout the season. At the very least, it’ll stop your teeth from getting too discolored.

4. Chew Cinnamon Gum as a Snack

Most dentists disagree with suggesting gum as a snack, but cinnamon gum might be precisely what you need to stave off harmful bacteria between brushes. Science Daily mentions that cinnamon gum contains cinnamic aldehyde, which controls bad breath. The cinnamon flavor and scent are a significant side effect, and the gum itself can also help remove debris from your teeth in between brushes, keeping your teeth clean. While a Florida dentist might not push for you to use chewing gum generally, this is one of the exceptions to the rule.

5. Don’t Open Bottles With your Teeth

As a dentist in Florida, we’ve seen more than enough of our share of cracked, chipped, and broken teeth from clients after the Christmas season. A lot of these issues stem from patients trying to open bottles or other things using their teeth. What’s horrifying to us is that they have been doing it all their lives, and it makes them feel that it’s safe. All it takes is one bad slip, and you’d cut your gums or break your tooth outright. We always advise patients to avoid using their teeth to open any bottles during the season.

6. Consume Enough Water

Water is an essential part of a healthy diet, but it’s also crucial in keeping your teeth healthy. When you drink a lot of water, you ensure that the particles of food that may remain stuck in your teeth get washes away. Additionally, it provides you always have saliva present to help to support your oral health. Water helps to keep your breath fresh and is an essential part of your body’s internal chemistry. Keeping hydrated during the holidays is critical.

7. Set Up your Post-Holiday Checkups Now

The beginning of the year is busy for any Florida dentist since all of our clients want to start off the new year right by setting up their checkup schedule. If you want to avoid the rush, now is the best time to start planning your first dentist’s visit. You will need to act quickly, however. Spaces are always limited at the start of the year. The sooner you arrange your post-holiday checkup, the better your chances of getting a date you can work with.

8. Don’t Skip Your Oral Cleaning Routine

The holidays are a time for enjoying get-togethers with friends and family. Amid this revelry, it’s essential to remember that your oral cleaning routine needs to continue. You can’t take breaks in brushing and flossing your teeth. Taking the time to ensure that you have all the materials necessary so you don’t miss a day will pay off in the long run. Your teeth are vital to enjoying the season, and taking care of them during the holidays will ensure they’re around for many more.

9. Don’t Eat Sugary Things

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we’d like to tell you to avoid the sugary treats. Sugar is the natural enemy of any Florida dentist. They’re responsible for the breakdown of your teeth and the formation of cavities. It’s a bit naive to think you won’t have any sugary things at all. Chances are you’ll still have some, but you’ll keep your consumption to a minimum. If you do, remember to rinse your mouth out afterward with water.

10. Hard Candies Are More Than Just Sugary Trouble

Some of our clients swear by the consumption of hard candies. The sugar is one thing, but other patients prefer to bite down on these candies when they consume them. The unfortunate consequence is that many of our emergencies during the holidays evolve from clients trying to bite down on hard candies and breaking their teeth as a result. If you want some motivation to avoid the hard candy, think about the dental bill and the filling procedure you’ll have to go through if you break it.

11. Don’t Pass on Fruit

Crunchy fruits like apples and pears are a great option that many people pass up during the Christmas season. Many patients prefer to consume things like sugary cookies and other sticky, sweet treats. Crunchy fruits provide more than just a great, healthy snack, however. They’re essential in helping you to take care of your teeth. On the flip side, if you eat fruits, you may need to rinse your mouth out afterward. The acids can be terrible for your teeth if you leave them there.

12. Consume Alcohol Responsibly

Having a tot of rum or spirits during the season isn’t unheard of, but you need to consume alcohol responsibly. There have been studies that link excessive drinking to gum disease. Ideally, you’d lower your consumption of alcohol to just a bit every day during the holidays. It’s great for your heart in small doses, but it can lead to severe health conditions in large doses.

Prepare For The New Year

Anderson Dental is proud to partner with you going into the new year. Hopefully, these tips will help you to prepare yourself for your first dental appointment in 2021. If you’re looking for a dentist that focuses on your needs and cares about your well-being, contact us today to book an appointment. We’re always open to new clients. What better way to face the new year than with the brightest smile you’ve ever had?