Protecting Your Teeth During The Holidays
It seems like during the holiday season, most people do a lot more eating. Snacks, sweets, sodas, and large meals are often consumed more frequently. While this can be an enjoyable time of the year, if you are not careful, all that eating and snacking can start to really harm your teeth. It is important to be aware of all of the extra eating that you are doing and take some precautions to take care of your teeth. Below are some tips on things that you can do to make sure your teeth are as healthy and strong as ever, even during the holiday season.
1. Schedule a Cleaning in January. One of the best ways to make sure your teeth stay healthy even after the holidays is to get them cleaned in early January. After Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and other holidays, your teeth could use a good cleaning from all the treats and food that you have been consuming. It is a well-known fact that you should get your teeth cleaned at least twice a year. You should strive to have one of those cleanings be in January to get rid of the leftover holiday damage.
2. Rinse your Mouth after Eating. When you eat, acid and food particles can remain in your teeth and gums. These particles can cause plaque and the acids can begin to eat away at your teeth. This is especially true during the holiday season when you are drinking juices, sodas, wine, or other foods that are very acidic. One thing that you can do is to simply rinse your mouth with water right after eating. This will wash away the acids and food particles.
3. Do Not Brush Right After Eating. Many people think that it is a good idea to brush their teeth right after eating. During the holidays when you are eating more often, you might be tempted to brush your teeth several times a day. This is actually more harmful than it is good. When you eat, the enamel in your mouth is weakened and your teeth are more susceptible to damage. By waiting at least 30 minutes before brushing, you are allowing the enamel to harden again.
These are just some of the ways that you can protect your teeth during this holiday season. You can still enjoy all the foods you love without causing your teeth any permanent damage. For more tooth care tips, speak with a dentist, like Scott W. Murphy, D.M.D., P.A.