When the holiday season hits during the winter time, there is no shortage of sweets, festivities with friends and plenty of parties. Don?t get us wrong, the tasty holiday treats are one of the best things about this time of year, however your Krengel Dental team is here to remind you that your teeth will need to be treated to the gift of good dental hygiene this season. Here are some tips to help you keep your teeth healthy over the holidays.
1. Keep a Dental Kit With You:
Having a travel-size kit with a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss and keeping it in your bag or car is an excellent way to make sure you can tend to your teeth when the holiday treats are around. Not only does brushing after eating sugar protect your teeth from decay, it can help you keep from snacking after brushing your teeth, avoiding further dental troubles.
2. Hold On For Dessert
Since your mouth produces more saliva around meal time when eating a well-balanced meal, more of the food you eat is being rinsed and the harmful acids that lead to decay are more easily neutralized. Adding your treat to the end of a meal instead of snacking throughout the day can be a big help to your dental hygiene.
3. Hold Off on The Hard & Sticky Candies
During the holidays, there are always a lot of sticky and hard candies being given out as treats. Whether it be a hard mint that could chip a tooth or a sticky caramel that can leave sticky sugar in-between your teeth, choose smarter sweets and say no to the more problematic choices that could hurt your smile.
4. Gift Yourself Sugar-free Gum
Chew on something that will help your teeth instead of hurting them. To keep from over-snacking and caring for your teeth the right way, chew sugarless chewing gum after your meals and your treats to help remove the excess food particles and sugar in your teeth.
5. Don?t Use Your Teeth as a Tool
While getting gifts and unwrapping presents is always exciting- it is never wise to use your teeth instead of scissors to tear of paper, loosen knots, unwrap a bow, etc. Take the extra steps to get the scissors to keep from having any dental damage that could cost ya.
With these tooth-friendly tips in mind, our whole team at Krengel Dental wishes you a happy holiday season. We are always here to help- give us a call (952-888-1311) to talk more about taking care of your teeth.
