Getting through the holidays without smashing a few molasses cookies or several pieces of pie is a tough challenge, no doubt. And then there are the peppermint barks, candy canes, caramel popcorn – the holidays are sweet in a lot of ways. But all that sugar can destroy your teeth if you let it. The holidays are a great time to indulge, but they’re also a great time to step up your oral care routine to keep up with your sugar intake. Any dental surgeon who knows what they’re talking about can tell you that the holidays—whether that’s the winter holidays, Halloween, or even Easter—can potentially wreak havoc on your teeth with the usual increased sugar intake seen around that time. With that being said, there are a handful of simple steps that you can take to avoid having to make a visit with your oral healthcare provider in the future.
Here are 5 tips to help you protect your teeth from all of that confectionary holiday bliss:
1. Drink plenty of water.
Is there an article about oral health that doesn’t mention drinking a bunch of water? Probably not – it’s good for your teeth 24/7/365, but it’s even more useful when you’re actively trying to flush bad stuff like sugars out of your teeth and gums. Staying hydrated preserves saliva function, which is your body’s natural teeth-cleaning solution. Plus, the act of drinking water prevents bacteria and plaque buildup. It’s seriously one of the best (and easiest) things you can do for your teeth. We recommend it all the time as part of our aftercare routine for our patients following any kind of operation on a mouth like getting all four wisdom teeth taken out or having titanium tooth implants installed, to name a couple. The water keeps everything in your mouth hydrated and moving around as it should, giving smaller windows of opportunity for bacteria to settle in.
2. Choose homemade over prepackaged.
We’re all busy during the holidays, and it’s easy to grab a packaged box of cookies – not to mention those pre-fab cookie and popcorn tins. But processed sugars are terrible for your teeth; they’re smaller molecules than raw sugar, making them super easy for bacteria to use for fuel. Whenever possible, choose homemade desserts – you can get that store-bought stuff any time of year, but not your great aunt’s cherry chocolate cake.
If you’ve just had your mouth operated by one of your local, experienced oral surgeons, take extra care around sweets for a while, prepackaged or not. Oral wounds still on the mend from operations like grafting sections of gum to other areas of the mouth or even a good, old-fashioned tooth replacement can leave your mouth susceptible to bacteria while the area that was operated on heals. Make sure you drink plenty of water and keep up with your usual oral care routine to keep the bacteria out.
3. Only eat (or drink!) sweets with meals.
Cookies seem to be on-hand constantly during the holiday season, which can make it tempting to snatch one or two from the tin between meals. Try to resist this urge. Not only will your post-holidays waistline thank you, but so will your teeth – they need a break once in a while to protect your enamel.
It’s easy to snack on oh-so tasty chocolate chip cookies and throw back the eggnog when it’s readily available during the holidays, but if you’re constantly putting sugar into your mouth, you’re supplying bacteria with food almost constantly too. We’re not saying you’ll end up seeing your local dentist who installs dental implants because of a few days of sugary snacking, but the best kind of oral care is preventative—just don’t overdo it on the sweets this year.
4. Brush your teeth after eating – but wait at least 30 minutes first.
Brushing your teeth after a particularly sweet meal is always a good idea, but especially so when you’re having sweets all the time. However, never brush your teeth directly after eating sweets or drinking beverages like wine or eggnog. Wait 30-60 minutes to avoid brushing away your tooth enamel. This holds true even outside of the holidays. If enough of your enamel is worn down over time, it makes your teeth more susceptible to tooth decay, gum disease, and extra sensitivity. The enamel is the protective coating that lines your teeth and helps keep bacteria off. Lose enough enamel, and you could be looking at affordable tooth implants due to decay, or you could be scheduling a visit with a mouth surgeon in the area for soft tissue grafting along the gums. Remember to not brush with too much pressure either—that can also wear away at the enamel coating.
5. Get some healthy snacks in there, too.
Hankering for a little something after that giant afternoon meal at the family get-together? Choose something like celery sticks, cheese or nuts. All three have teeth-protecting factors – the fibrous structure of celery, the calcium and phosphate in cheese, the magnesium and crunchiness of nuts. Maybe grab some pecans instead of another slice of pecan pie – your teeth will thank you. Cutting down on sugary foods and replacing them with whole, unprocessed foods is one of the best ways to keep your pearly whites in tip-top shape. Rough, fibrous foods can help clean your teeth while foods that are high in calcium can help keep your teeth strong and sharp. Avoid the need for getting replacement tooth implants or visiting your dentist who performs oral operations by switching out some foods. If you’re really looking for a sweet treat—and don’t we all need one sometimes—try a mandarin orange or another naturally-sweet fruit. Nature does a great job at providing healthy yet sweet options for us.
You don’t have to cut out all the treats you spend the rest of the year anticipating in order to keep your teeth in good health through that sugar-filled gauntlet. Just take extra care of your teeth… and maybe set up an appointment with your dental specialist for some time in January.
