Maintaining Your Oral Health During the Holiday Season

The Christmas holiday season has arrived, and we know that presents, family, and sugary treats abound. While your oral health and that of your family may be the last thing on your mind, it’s important to make sure you’re maintaining your dental health during the holiday season. Family get-togethers tend to involve more sugary treats and alcohol than your teeth are used to, making them more susceptible to dental cavities and tooth decay.

Holiday Tips for Oral Hygiene

Below are a few ways to make sure your teeth also have a happy and healthy holiday season:

• Alcohol – Wine and any other type of alcoholic beverage is highly acidic. These acids are notorious for eating away at the tooth’s sensitive dental enamel, allowing the bacteria to form a dental cavity. To avoid enamel damage from alcohol, try to make sure swish with water after drinking in order to help wash away the acids.
• Sugar – Christmas treats are some of our favorites! But the sugar contained in these types of treats will attack the teeth, increasing the chances of tooth decay and dental cavities. Go easy on the hot chocolate, gingerbread cookies, and candy canes. If you do eat a surplus of sugary treats, make sure you brush your teeth right afterward.
• Stress – Lastly, the holidays can be a source of stress for many people, which can negatively impact your oral health. For example, stress can lead to the grinding and clenching of the teeth during sleep, which is a condition known as bruxism. Luckily, a custom mouth guard can be created to make sure that the jaws and teeth are not damaged if you suffer from bruxism.

Here at Little Rockies Pediatric Dentistry, it’s important to us that our patients have a happy and healthy holiday season! To schedule a dental cleaning and checkup for your children, please contact our Parker, Colorado pediatric dental office today.