8 Ways To Look After Your Oral Health During The Silly Season
At our Maroubra dental practice, the best service we can provide for patients is to give them the tools and advice to take care of their teeth at home.
When the silly season rolls around, we remind our patients of the seasonal dangers to their oral health and how to avoid festive fun that comes at the expense of oral health.
Want to know how to look after your teeth during the silly season? Keep reading!
What Are The Risks Of Silly Season For Your Teeth?
The silly season provides many with a free pass to enjoy the snacks, meals, and drinks they would usually keep to a minimum.
The Christmas cheer we enjoy can have us snacking candy canes, cakes, and advent calendars. However, these are all foods that can have negative consequences for your oral health.
Although you still need to let loose during the silly season, it’s good to keep your oral health in mind and implement tips and tricks to keep your mouth feeling fresh and the bacteria at bay.
How To Care For Your Teeth During The Silly Season
Here are some tips, tricks, and practices to keep your mouth and teeth squeaky clean during the silly season.
Maintain Regular Brushing And Flossing
You must brush and floss your teeth regularly throughout the year, but it becomes imperative to maintain regular brushing and flossing during the silly season. You’ll consume many sugary foods, leading to bacteria thriving in your mouth.
Brush twice daily, and floss once daily to ensure you’re cleaning your mouth enough to combat the sugar in your mouth. You should brush for two minutes and floss carefully, being sure to clean all the gaps in your teeth.
If you’d like to keep your breath fresh throughout the day and thoroughly cleanse your mouth from all the sugars, try brushing your tongue with a tongue scraper and using mouthwash to clean the excess sugar from your gums.
Avoid Certain Foods And Practice Moderation
Although it’s the perfect time to indulge and break your diet during the silly season, practising moderation is a good idea.
For instance, keeping your indulgence in sweets and alcohol restricted to parties and major events will help you to avoid holiday weight gain and tooth decay.
Certain foods, like crackling and candy canes, can be highly sugary and damaging to the teeth, so you should try and avoid these foods altogether (or as much as you can!).
Visit Your Dentist For A Checkup
Visiting your local Maroubra dentist for a checkup during the silly season can help you to stay on top of your oral health. Your dentist can recommend a professional clean to help keep bacteria at bay and keep your mouth feeling fresh – the last thing you need is halitosis at your Christmas parties!
Drink Water Where Possible
The easiest way to cleanse your mouth while consuming holiday treats and goodies is to drink plenty of water. The water will clean your mouth as you eat, helping to reduce the amount of sugar lurking in your mouth. Staying hydrated will also minimise the effects of any bubbly you drink while enjoying a festive meal or party – and helps you to avoid a headache the next day.
Timing
Timing is everything when eating sugary foods and drinking alcohol. If you enjoy a Mimosa on Christmas morning, do it before you brush your teeth. Drinking alcohol or eating sugary foods in the morning without brushing after will give the sugar time to sit on your teeth and attract bacteria – so be sure to time your indulgence in line with your brushing habits.
Replace Your Toothbrush
While gifting during the holiday season, why not give your teeth a gift too? Replacing your toothbrush will ensure you’re getting a thorough clean and not using a worn-out or dirty toothbrush.
Reduce Stress
The holidays can be stressful for some, in particular, the host of the family get-together or Christmas party. With stress may come a clenched jaw and teeth grinding. So, to ensure your festive fun doesn’t come at the cost of healthy teeth, try and reduce your stress during the holidays and share your burdens with family and friends. Working together is more fun, anyhow.
Maintain Your Routine
Christmas parties and fun can lead to late nights and routine shifts. Changes in the sun’s patterns can also wobble your daily habits. So, try to maintain your daily habits during the silly season.
Waking up and sleeping at the same time each day can help you maintain your oral hygiene practices. You won’t be tempted to skip a brush because you’ve stayed up too late and need to sleep urgently.
Summary
The silly season is just around the corner, and knowing how to protect your teeth during the holidays can be highly beneficial. Remember these tips as you enjoy the seasonal festivities, snacks, and drinks! If you want to book a checkup with your dentist during the silly season, why not reach out to our friendly team of dental experts at Maroubra dental clinic?
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