Valentine’s Day may be associated with the heart, but your mouth deserves some extra love during the holiday. Some of the most popular expressions of love, like candy, food, and alcohol, can damage oral health.
Trust the team at Babylon Dental Care: poor oral health is a mood killer and can sabotage your Valentine’s Day celebration. Our dental care team has a few tips to help you keep your smile gleaming without ruining the romance of the holiday.
Indulge in Moderation
One of the hallmarks of Valentine’s Day is indulgence. Chocolates and bubbly are two of the most recognizable symbols of love and extravagance. Unfortunately, these two Valentine’s Day icons can be terrible for your teeth and oral health. Chocolate confections dripping with caramel or stuffed with fruit-flavored fluff are packed with sugar. You may love sugar, but so do the bacteria in your mouth. Bacteria thrive on sugar, releasing acid as a waste byproduct. This acid can erode enamel and cause tooth decay.
Champagne and wine, popular companions to heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, also have high concentrations of sugar and acid. Red wines can also stain your pearly whites, turning them dingy and yellow over time.
Want to indulge in this holiday? Share with a loved one and aim for moderation.
Don’t Go Breaking Your Heart or Teeth
Heart-shaped suckers and powder-covered conversation hearts are synonymous with Valentine’s Day. Yet, lovers should beware. In addition to high amounts of sugar, these candies also pose another risk to your oral health. Crunching down on these Valentine’s treats can cause cracks in your teeth and may even result in broken or chipped teeth.
Protect your teeth and use caution when eating hard candies. Life may be like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get. So read the label first. You don’t want to be surprised and bite into chocolate expecting soft nougat only to crack your teeth on a nut cluster.
Freshen Up
There’s nothing romantic about planting a kiss on your sweetheart after eating an entire plate of pasta and garlic bread. No one wants to pucker up when their special someone has spinach stuck between their teeth, either. Combat bad breath and embarrassing food faux pas with good oral hygiene. Tuck a small bottle of mouthwash in your purse or store floss picks in your wallet to keep your mouth fresh and clean and to neutralize foul odors. Increase your water intake and consider chewing sugarless gum after meals, which can help increase saliva production and wash away excess food and sugar.
Schedule an Appointment Today
Are you ready to pucker up for Valentine’s Day? Before you surprise that special someone with a kiss, consider treating your mouth to a little TLC before the big event. Make an appointment with the New York dental professionals at Babylon Dental Care today. Call our office at (632) 983-6665.