The holidays are a busy time of year as you gather with friends and family. Throughout the holidays, you will be surrounded by delicious meals and a chaotic schedule. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it is easy to neglect your oral health. While the holidays can be a bit chaotic, you need to maintain your oral health. As your dentist in Cookville, Dr. Robert Sikes has easy and simple tips for you to use to ensure your smile stays healthy and beautiful.
Maintain Your Oral Hygiene
Often, during the holidays, you will be traveling or busy attending get togethers. As a result, it can be easy to forget to brush your teeth here and there. However, despite your busy schedule, you need to ensure you brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily. To make oral care a bit easier, consider getting a travel oral care kit. If you cannot brush your teeth, rinse your mouth with water or a mouthrinse after eating.
Snack Smart
The holidays are full of yummy treats and goodies, but you want to snack smart. It is easy to grab a few cookies or sweets. However, snacking on foods that are high in sugars or starches can increase your risk for cavities. While many tend to believe a few days of over indulgence is not bad, even a few days of snacking can cause damage to your smile.
Instead of snacking on sugary and starchy foods, choose healthy alternatives, such as vegetables, fruits, or low-fat cheese. For a beverage, always try to stick with water instead of egg nog, soda, or alcoholic drinks. Avoid foods that are sticky, which are harder to remove from the teeth.
Avoid Tooth Damage
Nothing will ruin your holiday spirit quicker than an emergency trip to your dentist. During the holidays, avoid eating foods that are overly hard, which can cause a tooth to crack or break. Often, families will have family games or sport activities. If you will be playing any sports, be sure to wear an athletic mouthguard to protect your teeth from injury.
As you open gifts and food packages during the holidays, it is often a habit to use your teeth as tools. However, by doing so, you can cause damage to your teeth. Although it may be tempting, use a pair of scissors instead of using your teeth as tools.
Visit Your Dentist
If you have not visited the dentist in the last 6 months, schedule an appointment with your dentist for your routine cleaning and checkup. You will start the holiday season off right with a healthy, beautiful smile.
Dentist Near Me for a Healthy Smile
As the holidays approach, make your oral health a priority to maintain a healthy smile throughout the season. As your dentist, Dr. Sikes will provide the preventive appointment you need to ensure your smile is healthy this holiday season.
If you need a preventive appointment, please contact our office to schedule your appointment. We will help you smile brightly with a healthy smile.