First of all, Merry Christmas! I believe yours is going as good as mine, if not better.😉
We all know the happiness that comes with knowing the festive season is here. The thought of all the food you're going to consume is probably making you feel good.Taking good care of our teeth is important for our overall health, both for children and adults but it can be really hard to keep up with that oral health care routine during this period. There are tons of things that conspire to get us into bad habits during the festive period.
So how do you take good care of those healthy teeth and gums without feeling like a stick-in-the-mud during some of the most fun holidays of the year?
Here's a list of ways you can keep your oral health in tip-top shape without cramping your style:
The first thing is to stay away from junk food. This period is a great time to fall into the temptation of eating junk food but we should try to stay far away from junk. All the chocolates, doughnuts and cakes should be avoided or taken in moderation, avoid eating them between meals and ensure you rinse your mouth immediately after.
Sugary drinks and soda should be consumed in moderation. The high sugary content can trigger the process of tooth decay. Some drinks, like wine and cranberry juice, contain acids that can wear away enamel. So they should be moderately consumed or find alternatives.
You should also avoid the temptation to use your teeth to open your drinks during this festive period. Surely you don't want your tooth to fracture. Imagine a fractured tooth preventing you from consuming all the Christmas chicken.
Speaking of the Christmas chicken, remember not to break those hard bones with your teeth. No matter how delicious it is, you surely don't want to spend the rest of the festivities in pain.
Finally, when we brush, let's make it count!
We often don’t have the time to keep up our usual brushing schedule over holidays, even though we should.
So when we brush, we should make it count. How? Be sure that you are brushing appropriately and completely:
- Start with a medium-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste.
- Brush all surfaces of all teeth: Front, back, and side, top and bottom.
- Brush your mouth too. Bacteria can gather on your tongue, gums, and the roof of your mouth, so clean these areas with your toothbrush as well.
- Brush at a 45-degree angle for best cleaning.
- Floss to remove food particles in between your teeth.
- Brush for about 2-3 minutes, not a quick 15 seconds scrub.
And don't forget to start the new year, with a new toothbrush.
In conclusion, be kind to your teeth over the holidays. It's no fun to start the new year having to undergo a preventable dental procedure.
Extra holiday tip: In this dry and cold weather, our lips have a very high tendency to dry out and may crack, invest in good quality lip balm/lipgloss, preferably something with lanolin, and SPF and without parabens to prevent your lips from drying and cracking and also protect them from the sun and harsh weather.
And Do not lick your lips.
Licking them dries them out even faster and just plains look gross.
Happy Holidays!!!🍻🍻🍹