Dentist Wheat Ridge: Holiday Dental Care Tips

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Holiday Dental Care Tips

The holidays are a wonderful time of year filled with joy, traditions, and sweet treats. This may be the one time of year when you can’t help but devour all the delicious holiday cookies and desserts. Even the drinks that surround the holidays are a little sweeter! While it is completely fine to indulge in all the seasonal goodies, it is also important that you take care of your teeth and dental health throughout the holidays.

At Aspen Hill Dental in Wheat Ridge, we offer a variety of great dental services to help keep your mouth clean, healthy, and beautiful. From general cleanings to cosmetic treatments, we can help transform your smile and ensure it is as healthy as possible all year long. In this blog, we wanted to give you some tips for holiday dental care. Read on to learn more and schedule a cleaning today!

Limit Yourself

While there is nothing wrong with enjoying the holiday treats and drinks, try to limit yourself. It may be tempting to eat sweets whenever they are presented to you, but in order to keep your teeth healthy, try to limit yourself to one treat a day and be sure to brush your teeth afterward. Sweets expose your teeth to sugar, which can turn into acid in your mouth and attack your tooth enamel. So, limiting the amount of sugar you eat is always important, especially during the holidays.

Time Your Sweet Treats

If you can’t limit yourself to one sweet a day, be sure to time your sweet treats just right. When you eat sugary snacks after a meal or with your meal, it can help protect your teeth a little bit more. When you eat meals, your saliva production increases, which protects your teeth and can help fight the acid produced by the sugar and bacteria in your mouth. An increase in saliva can also help to wash away food particles, which can also help protect your teeth and gums.

Don’t Use Your Teeth as Tools

Your teeth may be strong, but they are not meant to be used as tools. Don’t use them to try to crack nuts with shells, don’t use them to open gifts or remove tags, and definitely don’t use them to open beverages. A broken tooth can be very painful and will certainly put a damper on your holiday celebration, so be sure to use your teeth for chewing only and have actual tools nearby for everything else.

Drink Light-Colored Drinks

Whether you are drinking adult beverages or other seasonal drinks, try to stick to light-colored drinks. Red wine, cranberry juice, and other dark-colored holiday beverages could stain your teeth, making your pearly white smile much less white. While you don’t need to avoid dark drinks altogether, try to switch between a light and dark-colored drink or drink water while enjoying your red wine. This will help to rinse your mouth and remove some of the stains on your teeth.

Eat Cheese

Usually, you are told not to eat cheese, but cheese can actually help your teeth, especially if you are enjoying adult beverages. These types of drinks often contain high acid content, which can negatively impact the protective enamel on your teeth. Cheese is alkaline, which means that it can neutralize the acids in these beverages. So, as you enjoy your glass of white wine, be sure to have some delicious cheese to snack on as well!

Stick To Your Routine

Sticking to your dental routine is important no matter the time of year, but it is extra important when you find yourself indulging in sweet treats and holiday drinks. Be sure to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss! Flossing is especially important this time of year to help remove any bits left behind from the sweet treats, chips, and other snacks you will be munching on. The holidays are a time when many people enjoy treats they generally wouldn’t indulge in, which means it is a time when your teeth need to be cared for more than usual.

Schedule a Cleaning

Be sure to also schedule a dental cleaning after the holiday season is over. This can help remove any plaque, keeping your teeth healthy and your oral hygiene in check. Dental cleanings are important for a number of reasons, and scheduling yours after the holidays can ensure that all those sweet treats didn’t do too much damage.

Schedule an appointment at Aspen Hill Dental in Wheat Ridge today! We can help ensure that your teeth and gums are in good shape after the holiday season. Contact us today with any questions you may have.

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