The holiday season will be in full force this weekend with Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. The food and drinks will be plentiful and not all of them will be tooth-friendly. One way to keep an eye on your teeth this Christmas is to try not to indulge only in sweet treats and beverages, but to also choose tooth-friendly foods and drinks including raw veggies such as carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower, and to drink plenty of water. But there’s more. Read on!
A Few Ways to Take Care of Your Teeth This Holiday Season
Here are a few ways to be mindful of your oral health this holiday season:
- Candy canes, fruit cake, and other sticky sweets: Sticky sweets are not tooth-friendly. Both candy canes and fruit cakes are not only high in sugar, but they stick to your teeth for long periods of time allowing the sugar to do continuous damage.
- Cheese and gum: Believe it or not, cheese is a tooth-friendly food. It helps maintain the natural acidic balance in your mouth which helps reduce the chances of developing tooth decay. Therefore, snacking on a piece of cheese after the main meal is actually a good idea. Research has shown that chewing sugar-free gum for ten minutes after each meal also helps reduce cavities.
- Keep your routine: Because your teeth take a beating during the holidays, what with all the sweet treats and beverages, alcohol, snacking, etc., it’s important to keep a proper oral hygiene routine. Don’t skip brushing both in the morning and before bed for two minutes at a time, and remember to floss!
