The holiday season is jam-packed with love, joy, and tasty treats. Unfortunately, most holiday favorites can do a number on your teeth. Sugary, sticky, crunchy, bubbly, and acidic are just a few adjectives that describe the types of food you’ll find at the holiday table. While a holiday feast may delight your taste buds, it can be bad for your dental health.
To keep your pearly whites healthy and happy this holiday season, the team at Babylon Dental Care has some holiday dental tips for you.
Drink Plenty of Water
The best dental health tip of the season is to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water. Over the holidays, you may be tempted by sugary sodas, sparkling juices, rich wines, and plenty of bubbly. While festive, these beverages contain a lot of sugar and acid, which can eat away your tooth enamel and encourage bacterial growth and tooth decay.
Protect your teeth and keep a bottle of water close. Drinking water can help wash away some sugar and acid before it builds up on your teeth. Drinking plenty of water also helps keep you hydrated and feeling full. You may be less likely to overindulge in food and alcoholic beverages, making drinking water a win-win this holiday season.
Don’t Bite the Hard Candy
You know the holiday season has arrived when everyone starts handing out candy canes and filling their candy dishes with colorful ribbon candies. Before you bite down on these holiday hard candy favorites, consider your teeth. Crunchy hard candy can crack and chip your teeth, causing painful dental damage.
These treats are also almost pure sugar. Like an adult with a sweet tooth, certain bacteria can’t get enough sugar. The bacteria break down sugar and produce acid. The acid breaks down tooth enamel and can lead to tooth decay and cavities.
Give the Gift of Kitchen Tools
Don’t use your teeth to crack open nuts or pop the top on a cold one. Stock your home with the proper tools, scissors, nutcrackers, and bottle openers. If you don’t have any of these items, now is the perfect time to add them to your holiday list. Using your teeth as tools can damage your enamel, causing chips, cracks, and breaks.
Splurge on Appetizers
The vegetable tray is a holiday appetizer staple and one that you can feel good about sinking your teeth into. Chewing up raw vegetables helps increase saliva production and clears the mouth of harmful bacteria. Veggies are also packed with Vitamin A, which can help strengthen and protect tooth enamel.
Feel free to indulge a little on the cheese platter as well. The calcium in dairy products helps build strong bones and tooth enamel. Cheese can also help lower the pH in your mouth and neutralize the acid in alcoholic beverages.
Ring in the New Year with a Trip to Babylon Dental Care
At Babylon Dental Care, we know the temptation to overindulge during the holiday season is hard to resist. It’s okay! Our team of dental professionals is here to support you. Call our office today at (631) 983-6665 to schedule an appointment with one of our compassionate dental care practitioners and ring in the New Year with a bright, white smile.