As we approach the most wonderful time of the year, it is time to get organised. For many of us, our Christmas schedule can be filled with parties, work drinks, meals and family get-togethers. Therefore, it can be difficult to juggle all your plans, while maintaining a healthy selfcare routine. Nevertheless, maintaining healthy teeth and gums this Christmas should remain a priority.
During the festive season, here are a few things to look out for:
Sugar Intake
Food is a major part of Christmas celebrations, so it is very easy to be tempted by sugary treats. While a relaxed diet during festivities should be something to enjoy, it is still important to maintain a balance.
The bacteria found in tooth plaque collects sugar and uses it as energy. As a result, the plaque will release acid, which will slowly begin to dissolve your tooth’s enamel. Enamel is the protective outer layer of your teeth, which is designed to protect you from tooth decay. Therefore, limiting your sugar intake is essential to maintaining healthy enamel.
Alcohol Staining
With all of your upcoming Christmas parties, there is likely to be a lot of alcohol consumed. Alcohol can cause dehydration, which reduces your saliva flow. Saliva production provides essential care for healthy teeth and gums by:
- Ensuring your mouth is moist
- Easing your ability to chew and swallow food
- Protecting against bad breath and germs
- Securing your dentures in place
- Containing minerals and proteins to protect your tooth enamel
In addition, drinks with deep hues such as red wine are prone to staining your teeth, and sparkling drinks such as Prosecco are highly acidic. Therefore, once you return home from a party, remember to counteract staining and protect your mouth from acidic drinks by brushing your teeth with a whitening toothpaste.
Enjoy Yourself
Although we recommend limiting your sugar intake over Christmas, there are still lots of festive foods you can enjoy. Cheese and milk are great for their calcium content. This will help to neutralise your mouth’s acidity after a meal and help to strengthen your teeth.
Nuts are the perfect snack, as they have a high calcium and protein content, with minimal fat and sugar. In particular, we would recommend snacking on almonds.
Don’t forget to also stay hydrated with plenty of water throughout the day. This will wash out food debris, help you maintain fresh breath, and keep your teeth and gums healthy.
After Party Care
Fight the temptation to rush brushing your teeth and crawl into bed after an event. Find a soft bristled toothbrush, fluoride toothbrush and begin. If you ate at your event, floss out leftover food debris to avoid poor breath and tooth plaque. Be sure to brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes to ensure you cover all surfaces.
On busier days, carry round a small bottle of mouthwash to rinse your mouth with throughout the day. This will help you to maintain healthy teeth and gums between events and after meals.
Booking Your New Year Appointment
To recover from the Christmas splurges, book an appointment at Riverside Dental Spa. During your appointment, we can check for plaque build-up and any signs for concern. Therefore, helping you to start 2020 with healthy teeth and gums.
