The holidays are a joyful time when you spend time with your family and friends. During this time, you indulge in gifts, happy meals, candies, and chocolates. This is when sugary drinks are not missed on the tables, and the fridge is full of all junk food. As much as the holidays are a time to get together and celebrate, it is also when your health, especially dental health, can plummet. Since you are exposed to more sugary foods than normal, you also need to take extra care of your oral hygiene. Visit a dentist in Kitchener Waterloo for dental checkups and get great advice on maintaining your oral hygiene. Below are four ways of maintaining your oral hygiene during the holidays.
Indulge in Sugary Treats During or Immediately After Meals
After eating sugary foods, the sugar remnants in your mouth attract bacteria. These bacteria weaken the tooth enamel and lead to cavities. By brushing your teeth after meals, the sugar will not linger in your mouth; hence you will avoid bacteria and keep your teeth healthy. To learn more, click here.
Choose Healthy Treats
Most store-bought candies are sticky; hence they stay in your mouth for a long time. There are several recipes for sweet yet healthier treats, such as candies, cookies, and cakes. You can also opt to replace sugar with apple sauce and substitute cake toppings with dried fruits and various types of nuts. Also, if you are opting for store-bought, go slow on sticky toffees and go for treats that can be consumed faster.
Replace Your Toothbrush
Although dentists recommend you change your toothbrush after every two to three months, not many people follow this advice. You will be dealing with more dental care during the holidays than on other days. Therefore, you need a stronger and better toothbrush. If possible, replace your usual toothbrush with an electric toothbrush. An electric toothbrush offers thorough cleaning and deep cleaning. It also hit spots at the back of your mouth that are harder to reach, where food remains can be stuck, harbouring germs and bacteria. Changing the heads of your electric toothbrush is recommended every 3 months and after recovering from a sickness.
Add Sugarless Gum to Your List of Treats
Every time you chew, your mouth produces more saliva. The saliva washes away food particles and sugar remains. Sugarless gum is not a substitute for brushing teeth or flossing but increases saliva production. Another perk of sugarless gum is, as its name suggests, it does not contain sugar; hence it is a healthy treat. Look for products with Xylitol.
Use a straw
If it has to be a sugary drink don’t hesitate to use a straw. By sipping a drink through a straw you can avoid the liquid from washing over your beautiful white teeth. And while it’s not socially popular, drinking red wine with a straw will avoid staining your teeth with its powerful acidic tannins and natural dyes. Believe it or not, even coffee can be enjoyed with a straw.
As you make merry and bond with your family and friends, remember to take care of your dental and general health during this period. Sugar is the number one culprit in destroying the enamel and causing cavities so go slow with it. You can also visit a dentist in Kitchener Waterloo for more recommendations on maintaining or improving your dental hygiene. Look us up to discuss or develop a valuable dental hygiene regime.