Preparing Your Dental Hygiene for the Holidays

Many people love the holiday season, as it comes with plenty of food, drinks, family bonding time, and lots of rest from the heavy work put in all year round. While most individuals prepare for the holiday season by working out to shed some weight before the stuffing comes in, very rarely do people look at their dental hygiene. Nobody wants to visit an emergency dentist for any damaged or decayed teeth caused by the holidays’ epic meal time sessions, as these are painful to endure and quite costly. 
Not everyone knows the tips and tricks dentists recommend doing as the holiday comes into full swing. There will definitely be parties with family wherein lots of good food and tasty desserts are in the picture. With the adult drinks free-flowing, it’s often the best culinary experience of anyone’s life. Avoiding the need for emergency dental services comes in a few ways, and here is a short guide to helping your pearly whites survive the holiday season:
Chew Slowly and Take Food In Smaller Portions
Chewing food slowly takes off excess stress from all the eating done during the holiday season. If you are eating ham or having cold cuts, go for a few slices at a time and don’t gobble things down. Eating fast means that you are exerting pressure on your teeth, which can be bad for them in the long run. While portion control might not be possible during more extended dinner parties, it pays to invest time in other ways to save your teeth. 
Avoid Sodas and Sugary Juices
When having a drink for the holidays, try to cut out the sugary fruit punch and other sweetened beverages like lemonade and iced tea that aren’t natural. Sugar is the enemy to both your weight and your teeth enamel, so ensuring that you are buying the right drinks for your party will help preserve your pearly whites. If you are enjoying an alcoholic beverage, be sure that you dilute it somehow with a sugar-free tonic water product, or even just having a few glasses instead of downing a bottle of something. The acids in alcohol can be just as harmful as sweeteners to teeth enamels, so be sure you take everything in moderation. 
Keep Desserts to a Minimum
It can be tempting to try all the desserts on the table, and when you do find something you like, you might discover that you’ll be taking more and more each time. The key to saving your teeth is to limit the sweets you are consuming. Dentists highly advise against consuming sweets, as these eat away at teeth quickly if you do not clean them right away. However, the holidays aren’t complete without a cake or some cookies! If you absolutely must, limiting the sweets will help big-time. One or two cookies or a cake slice of modest size will be unnoticeable after the feast, so brush your teeth and floss as soon as the party is over!
Rinse With Water Every So Often
After every meal you eat, it can help to excuse yourself from the table and make your way to the restroom to do a water rinse to clean your mouth. One cup of water and gargling will help dilute the acids in your mouth, which will make brushing afterwards a deeper clean. It also removes a lot of the stinkiness you might think you are smelling, so this can keep you confident throughout the festivities. 
Don’t Use Mouthwash
Mouthwash comes in small, travel-sized bottles, which means everyone carries them around nowadays. The issue is that the alcohols and chemicals in these liquids can lead to dryness, soreness, and gum infections if overused. If you absolutely must use mouthwash liquids, buy an alcohol-free organic rinse to substitute the typically used products that are very potent. 
Conclusion
Overall, caring for your teeth over the holidays is a great way to prevent surprise visits to an emergency dentist. Oral hygiene is the best thing you can invest in because trips to the dentist can be expensive. Stay safe this holiday season using these tips to avoid decaying and damaging your teeth. 
24/7 Emergency Dental Clinic offers emergency dental services in Edmonton, Alberta. We offer various oral hygiene and cosmetic dentistry services, including teeth whitening, regular cleaning, dental implants, and cutting-edge products like Invisalign retainers. Book your appointment with us today!

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