Tips from Your Midwest City Dentist for a Healthy Holiday Smile

The holiday season is an exciting time of year as you gather with friends and loved ones over delicious meals. While you are surrounded by sweet drinks and tasty treats, the health of your teeth is often the last thing on your mind. As you enjoy the festivities, your Midwest City dentist encourages you to think about your oral health. If you are not careful, you could end up spending the holidays sitting in a dental chair.

Keep Your Smile Cavity-Free

No holiday season is complete without eggnog, candies, and other yummy snacks. Although they may taste great, they are very damaging to your teeth. They contain high amounts of sugar, which combine with your saliva to form an acid. As it sits on your teeth, it slowly eats away at your enamel until a cavity develops.

A cavity can quickly lead to tooth sensitivity, pain when placing pressure on a tooth, or an infection. You do not want your holidays to be interrupted by tooth decay. To prevent one, it is best to limit your consumption of sugary foods and drinks. Instead, choosing healthier alternatives, like low-fat cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables, or sugarless gum.

If you cannot ignore your sweet tooth, it is best to brush and floss your teeth right away. If you cannot, rinse your mouth with water. You can also chew sugarless gum which helps to stimulate saliva production to cleanse your teeth.

Avoid a Dental Emergency

Although you never expect it to happen to you, 1 in 6 Americans has a dental emergency every year. Unfortunately, they are common around the holidays. Often, they are the result of a lost restoration or a fractured tooth.

While you cannot fully avoid a dental emergency, there are several things you can do to help lower your risks, such as not biting overly hard foods, like hard candies or ice. In addition, do not use your teeth as tools when opening gifts or packages, which can lead to a broken tooth.

Get a Healthy Holiday Smile!

This holiday season, you can enjoy your time with your loved ones while keeping your smile healthy. To ensure nothing unexpected interrupts your plans, there are some simple tips to follow:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.
• Floss in between each tooth before going to bed.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Limit your consumption of sugar.
• Visit your dentist for a cleaning and checkup.

Commit to keeping your teeth and gums healthy by staying proactive about your oral health. Do not let a preventable issue ruin your holidays.

About Dr. Steven Kendrick

Dr. Steven Kendrick provides advanced dental solutions to improve his patients’ oral health. In addition to general dentistry, he offers many areas of specialty, including dental implants and IV sedation. If you need a dental appointment before the year ends, do not wait. Contact our office today to schedule your next visit.