Tis’ the season to be jolly, and often overindulgent. While being festive during the holidays, you will probably eat more—especially sugary foods—drink more coffee, tea, and wine, and stay up later. And that’s okay! It is the holidays after all. But just because you’re taking a break and having fun doesn’t mean you should neglect your oral health. In fact, the holidays are time when you should be extra vigilant about regular flossing and brushing to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Here are the most common issues a dentist in Kanata commonly sees with their patients teeth after the holidays, and how you can avoid them.
Common Dental Issues
Plaque Buildup
With plenty of eating comes plenty of plaque. As you munch on cookies, crackers, cake, chocolate, pie, hearty holiday meals, and treats, more plaque will build up. And without proper dental hygiene, this plaque can lead to gum disease over time.
Stained Teeth
Coffee, tea, and red wine are some of the most popular culprits for staining teeth during the holidays. But many other foods can stain teeth too, such as berries and dark fruit juices. And if you happen to light up a celebratory cigar, or you tend to smoke a lot during this time of year, your teeth will be more prone to yellowing and staining.
Tooth Decay
When people overindulge, especially on sugary foods and drinks, they are feeding the bacteria that live in their mouths, eating away at their teeth. If you don’t take extra precautions during this time consuming more sweets and alcohol, you can certainly advance tooth decay, also known as cavities.
Prevention Tips
Floss & Brush – No excuses!
No matter how late it is when you go to bed during the holidays, always floss and brush your teeth. You may be tired from eating and celebrating all night, but in the long run, you’ll be glad you for took care of your teeth, even if you didn’t feel like it at the time. And if you want to make brushing easier during the holidays, treat yourself to an electric toothbrush. It can do most of the work for you while you dose off in front of the mirror.
Be Cautious With Wine
We all know how much red wine stains teeth, but white wine is also harmful. White win can be very acidic, which leads to enamel erosion. Try to drink white wine sparingly, such as one glass with dinner. And if you’re a red wine drinker, drink water in between glasses and before you brush your teeth to help remove stains.
Use a Straw for Sugary Drinks
To try and prevent sugar from coming in contact with your teeth, use a straw when drinking pop and other sugary drinks, such as fruit juices.
Chew Sugar-Free Gum
After eating, pop a piece of sugar-free gum in your mouth to freshen your breath, stimulate saliva production, and remove stagnant plaque that tends to build up after eating.
Try to limit how much sugary foods you eat and drink, and floss and brush regularly to avoid these common dental problems your dentist in Kanata sees after the holiday season. You can still enjoy the holidays to the fullest, just remember to take care of your teeth too!
