Keeping your TEETH HEALTHY after the holidays
IF you are feeling like you may have overindulged during the holidays, you are not alone.
Weeks upon weeks of excessive eating and drinking is not only bad for your waistline, it can also take a toll on your teeth. With the new year just ahead, people are already planning their resolutions, and maintaining proper oral health sometimes gets overlooked.
This article will bestow you with some helpful tips on how to keep your teeth looking great after the holidays.
If you don’t already own one, now is definitely the time to invest in an electric toothbrush. Make sure that you get back into the routine of brushing at least twice a day if you have not been doing so over the holidays.
Keep in mind that drinking lots of water will help you feel healthier and alert going into the new year, and it will also wash away some of the extra sugar you may have eaten.
If you’re still snacking on leftovers, try to save the chocolates, puddings and sweets for after mealtimes. Your mouth will already be producing saliva, which will help to neutralise the acids they contain. Remember to wait about half an hour to an hour before you brush your teeth after eating. Sugary snacks can cause your tooth enamel to soften.
Tips
Some tips on how to care for your teeth during the holidays:
1. Watch the sweets
While no one expects you to stay away from Christmas cake, it should be noted that these foods and other sweet dishes do have a lot of sugar in them. Just be sure to floss and brush after eating sweet food items this holiday season.
2. Brush and floss
Even on Christmas day when it’s time to open presents, it’s important to remember to brush and floss your teeth before opening gifts. Sure, the kids might make a fuss, but it will definitely be worth it in the long run.
3. Moderation is the key
Food like cranberries and cheese are actually good for your teeth, in moderation! But cranberries can also contain a lot of acid, which can eat away at your teeth as well. Cheese has also been proven to return your mouth back to its natural acidic balanced self – which prevents tooth decay.
4. Use a bottle opener
Using your teeth for opening bottles or opening packages is never a good idea. Not only can you chip your teeth this way, but you can actually pull whole teeth out right by the root, which will hurt! So, if you need to open a bottle: use a bottle opener.
Dr Sharon Robinson, DDS has offices at Dental Place Cosmetix Spa, located at shop #5, Winchester Business Centre, 15 Hope Road, Kingston 10. Dr Robinson is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Technology, Jamaica, School of Oral Health Sciences. She may be contacted at 876630-4710. Like their Facebook page, Dental Place Cosmetix Spa.