5 Tips For Healthy Teeth Over The Holidays

1. Avoid using your teeth as a tool

You may be surprised to hear that the holidays are a common time for dental emergencies. These emergencies, however, are easily avoidable. You definitely do not want to make a trip to the dentist when you could be spending time with family and friends.

It can be easy to make this error in the moment, but please resist the urge to use your teeth as a tool. Trying to open a bottle or package with your mouth is a recipe for a dental emergency – you could even crack a tooth. Keep a bottle opener and scissors around so you aren’t even tempted to use your teeth. And don’t use your teeth to crack nuts either!

2. Be careful around sugar

There’s sugar everywhere during the holidays. One of the most popular Christmas candies are candy canes. These also happen to be one of the worst lollies for your oral health.

You can break a tooth if you bite down on a candy cane or other hard lollies too soon. Sucking on lollies also exposes your teeth to tons of sugar, which can cause cavities and other issues. For the sake of your oral health, it’s best to avoid hard lollies all together.

3. Switch to white wine

After the 2020 we’ve had, you could easily be forgiven for indulging in (quite) a few alcoholic drinks over the break! And we say cheers (in moderation) to that. : )

However, what you might not know is that when it comes to your teeth, not all drinks are equal. Even for non-alcoholic drinks, the dreaded fizzy drink can be a bit of a dental nightmare.

4. Snack smart

With all the delicious treats around, it can be hard to avoid snacking on sweets during Christmastime. But some common holiday treats are actually good for your teeth. Replace sugary snacks with the following foods.

Carrots: Sit yourself down in front of the veggie platter. Carrots, which have Vitamin A, help protect your enamel and are much better for your teeth than sweets.

Cheese: You’re likely drinking something like wine, which is acidic. Acidic foods and drinks soften for tooth enamel. Cheese can help neutralise the acids from alcohol, protecting your teeth.

Turkey: Load up on the turkey at dinner! High protein foods like turkey help prevent tooth decay and promote oral health.

5. Don’t forget your oral routine

At this time of year, you’re probably overwhelmed with responsibilities and activities. This can easily interrupt your normal daily routine. Don’t let your oral health routine to fall by the wayside this year.

The frenzy of the holidays is no excuse for skipping out on oral hygiene. Remember to brush your teeth, use mouthwash, and floss at least twice a day just like usual. This way, you’ll ring in the New Year with a healthy, clean smile!

Christmas/New Year Closure

During the Christmas/New Year period, we’ll be closed from Thursday December 24 and reopen on Monday January 11. For urgent attention, please contact (03) 9044 077

Thank you for your support in 2020, we look forward to seeing you in 2021.