With the festive season just around the corner, it’s important to make sure you take the necessary steps to keep your teeth healthy. Christmas is a time to indulge; whether it’s mulled wine, candy canes or even your chocolate advent calendar each morning, our intake of sugar often increases during the festive season, so it’s important we pay extra attention to our teeth.
Keeping your teeth and gums healthy during the festive season is crucial; tucking into boxes of chocolates, Christmas puddings and your favourite drinks is a real treat, but it can cause damage beyond the festive season too.
To keep your gums and teeth healthy this Christmas, read our top tips below.
Brush your teeth after eating sticky foods
We all love a big box of Christmas chocolates, but the caramels and toffees will stick to your gums and the small grooves of your teeth. Some puddings such as Christmas cake and mince pies are packed with dried fruit high in sugar, which will also stick to your teeth.
To keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy, take the time to brush your teeth after you indulge in any sticky foods. This will ensure no sugar is left to attack your teeth.
Take care of tooth sensitivity
If you suffer with tooth sensitivity, it’s important you pay attention to this during the festive season. Beers, wines, soft drinks and fruit juices are highly acidic and can worsen your tooth sensitivity, which can leave you with tooth aches and pains.
The key to tackling this is eating and drinking in moderation. The festive season is a time to indulge, but it’s not worth damaging your teeth or putting yourself in pain.
One of the nicest ways to warm yourself up on a cold winter day is with a hot drink. Whether it’s a hot chocolate, a warm mulled wine or a hot cup of coffee, there truly is nothing better than enjoying a hot drink on an icy cold day. However, it’s important to remember that wine, coffee and tea can all stain your teeth, so try to drink them in moderation and always give your teeth a good clean before you get into bed.
As if we needed a reason to make a cheese board at Christmas time! Cheese boards are the perfect addition to any festive evening - and they can also help your teeth too. After feasting on all your festive delights, cheese is a great way to prevent mouth decay and help return your mouth to its natural acid balance, which is good for your teeth.
Make sure you fit some cranberries into your festive snacks too, as cranberries have been proven to help prevent both gum disease and tooth decay. Most importantly, enjoy your Christmas!
As one of the leading dental surgeries in Swansea, you needn’t look further than the practiced and professional team at Manor Road Dental Practice. We offer an extensive range of oral health, dental and aesthetic services in Swansea. For more information, visit our website.