This special time of the year is a true miracle with the family gatherings, Christmas gifts, warm and cozy evenings by the fireplace. Of course, the holiday season is a time to indulge yourself with delicious meals and tasty desserts. While it is such a pleasure to enjoy these carefree celebrations with special ones and mouth-watering dishes, it might be challenging to keep up with oral health care. Plenty of candies, holiday cookies, sugary drinks can put your healthy teeth and gums at risk. The good news is that it is possible to maintain your Hollywood smile during this festive season. If you are wondering how to keep your teeth healthy, take into account dental tips and tricks to save your brilliant smile while enjoying the holidays. 

Home remedies for healthy teeth

Taking care of your smile might be a bit of a challenge during the festive season. The abundance of goodies and sugary beverages can be damaging for your teeth. Nobody wants to have an unexpected dental appointment during this busy time of the year. Fortunately, there are easy ways to save you from cavities and other dental issues. With the proper precautions, your teeth will remain strong and healthy. Hence, you can enjoy the holiday treats and parties to the fullest. Following these dental tips, you won’t get worried about your dental health.

1. Brush up on dental care basics 

Proper oral health care is essential for preventing cavities and gum diseases. Holiday trips and festive gatherings can interrupt your daily routine. Nevertheless, the changes in your schedule should not affect your oral health care habits. It is essential to clean teeth twice a day: in the morning and the evening. Flossing is also a beneficial hygiene habit that should be done daily. A floss cleans and dislodges food stuck between your teeth. 

In case of traveling, you should pack a dental care kit. Make sure you keep your dental hygiene tools updated, and you have enough floss and toothpaste prepared. Consider taking a travel-sized bottle of mouthwash to save space in your suitcase. To avoid bad breath, keep some sugar-free gum to get rid of food particles. Use a tongue scraper to reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth cavity. In addition to that, brush your teeth or rinse your mouth thoroughly after a meal if possible. 

2. Make better food and beverage choices

The festive season is a great time to treat yourself to sweets. While desserts can surely please us, consuming too much sugar is harmful to your teeth. It can cause tooth decay or cavities. Eventually, people with such dental issues refer to cosmetic dentistry for tooth restoration. Nevertheless, there is no need to refuse to have a tasty dessert. Holiday treats should be consumed in moderation. Eating one dessert is way better than continuously snacking. You will satisfy your need for a treat, and your teeth will be less exposed to sugar. Remember to brush your teeth after having a holiday goodie to remove the food particles and bacteria.

One more amendment to your holiday servings is to minimize sticky foods. The longer something sweet stays on a tooth, the more damage it can cause. Hard candies are just as harmful as they can crack or chip a tooth. After having peanut brittle, caramel, and gooey desserts, you should brush your teeth to remove any sugar on your teeth. Otherwise, the sugary plaque increases the chance of cavity creation. 

To opt for the necessary vitamins and minerals for healthy teeth, you can turn to fruits and veggies. Eating some pieces of banana, tangerines, or slices of a juicy apple will satisfy your sweet tooth. Fruit is less harmful to your teeth than chocolate brownies or candy cane. Having a plate with fresh veggies, for example, carrot slices or broccoli will be a great replacement for unhealthy dishes. Vegetables contain vitamin A which makes gums stronger and strengthens your enamel. Consider having cheese as a snack as it helps to neutralize the acid found in drinks. 

Does hot chocolate stain teeth? Unfortunately, it does. It only takes one cup of hot coca to cause stained teeth. During the cold season, the consumption of hot beverages increases. Cider, eggnog, coffee – all these tasty drinks can be harmful to your teeth. Especially wine, either red or white, hot or cold, can cause similar issues. All these drinks contain an ingredient that makes a color compound stick to your teeth. Many people believe that regular soda is bad for the health of your teeth due to its high sugar content, but diet soft drinks can also cause substantial harm to tooth enamel because of the acid they contain. As a result, teeth have a yellowish or brown hint. Moreover, the bacteria in the mouth can cause bad breath. To avoid these unpleasant side effects of indulging yourself with your favorite holiday drinks, you should brush your teeth properly, don’t skip flossing, scraping your tongue, and rinsing with the mouth wash.

In most cases, running away to the bathroom to brush your teeth after a meal might not likely happen. Therefore, chewing some sugarless gum will be the right solution. It will increase the flow of saliva that washes away food particles. Moreover, chewing gum can neutralize acids produced by bacteria and provide disease-fighting substances throughout the mouth. Another benefit is that while chewing gum, your mouth is kept busy so, you are less likely to eat more food.

3. Drink more water

Apart from having juices, sodas, and other tasty drinks, you should make sure that you drink enough simple water and track your daily water intake. Water with fluoride can make a big difference to your oral health and help to strengthen your teeth. Drinking water after having a meal will wash away any bacteria left in your mouth and will dilute acid from alcohol. If you still feel hungry after a meal, having a glass of water will fill you up and tame the hunger. 

4. Use tools, not your teeth

Walnuts, almonds, pecans, and varieties of seeds are great options for holiday treats. Using your teeth to crack or shell nuts is one of the bad habits which damages your teeth. Instead of putting your teeth and dental work like fillings, crowns, or bridges at risk for cracking or breaking, you should use an appropriate nutcracker to do the job. The same rule applies to bottles and packages. There has to be a proper culinary tool used to perform the necessary action if you want to save your teeth from a sudden emergency. If you get symptoms of a cracked tooth such as high sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures, excruciating pain, you should see a dentist as soon as possible.

Apart from cracking nuts by using your teeth, you should avoid eating hard candies. Biting down on candy can crack a tooth. Moreover, the damage may be caused by the sugary residue left by sweets. It leads to teeth weakening, destroyed enamel, and tooth decay.

5. Home remedies for healthy teeth

It might be difficult to book a dentist appointment during this busy time of the year. Sudden tooth pain or another dental issue may catch you on the trip or during the celebration. Luckily, to lessen your anxieties, some symptoms can be reduced by home remedies. 

According to the study, a saltwater rinse can be beneficial in healing inflamed gums. Salt is a natural disinfectant that is helpful to ease pain, reduce bacteria to relieve bad breath. For a saltwater rinse, you should take half of a teaspoon of salt to a glass of lukewarm water. Mix it properly and swish the solution to your mouth for 30 seconds before spitting it out. The procedure should be done three times per day. Mind please that using a saltwater rinse for too long can have a bad impact on tooth enamel. 

Coconut oil pulling is another safe home remedy with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Oil pulling significantly reduces plaque and may also whiten your teeth, freshen up your breath, relieve headaches and tension. To do a coconut oil pull, you should put 1 to 2 teaspoons of fractionated coconut oil into your mouth and swish it around for 20 or 30 minutes. It is important not to let the oil touch the back of your throat or swallow the liquid. After spitting the oil out, you should rinse your mouth with water and brush your teeth afterward.

No home remedy can replace proper dental treatment. Therefore, it is essential to see a professional for a quick and full recovery. The dental hygienist can teach you to use dental tools and products to keep your gums healthy. Your dentist may also advise you on additional cleanings and provide further guidance on how to practice good oral hygiene.

6. Schedule a checkup

It is necessary to book a dentist appointment beforehand to maintain healthy teeth during the festive season. Apart from keeping up with your oral hygiene, having a regular checkup is key to avoiding dental emergencies during holidays. The professionals in Gallegos Family Dentistry in Albuquerque will gladly assist you in case of any dental concerns or perform a cleaning to prevent excessive plaque buildup. 

Dental health tips for kids

The holiday season is the most exciting time for kids. With plenty of fun, gifts, and sweet treats, it is the happiest and simultaneously most challenging time of the year. It is hard to keep up with oral hygiene habits to maintain healthy teeth for kids. That’s why dental issues arise in children after celebrations.

While adults can take proper care of their dental health, kids require some assistance and guidance. Teaching them oral care habits is vital for growing strong, healthy teeth. Maintaining the daily brushing routine is especially important during the festive season. Here are some tips on how to get healthy teeth for kids on holidays.

1. Avoid too much sugary food

Kids’ teeth are sensitive to sugar. Luckily, there are many ways to control and reduce the number of sugary snacks on a festive table. For example, you can serve soft cheeses to replace cookies and cakes. Dairy products can neutralize the acids, which weaken the enamel. Moreover, cheese is a rich source of calcium, which is an essential nutrient to consume for strong teeth. Dried fruit and nuts are great alternatives for a dessert. They are way healthier due to high amounts of vitamins. Consider cooking traditional pumpkin pie, which is rich in fiber and can be as tasty as any sugary cookie. Last but not least, serving a plate of vegetables will increase the chances that a kid will grab a carrot slice instead of candy for a snack. Kids can indulge in all the luscious treats at holiday gatherings. Nevertheless, all sweet food and beverages have to be consumed in moderation.

2. Prioritize proper oral hygiene 

Make sure that a kid sticks to oral health habits during holidays. A child should not skip brushing teeth with fluoride toothpaste and using mouthwash after a late festive dinner. Flossing is also a beneficial habit to teach children. If children eat lots of sweets during the celebration, tell them to brush their teeth each time they finish eating them.

3. Schedule dental checkup 

Regular dental checkups will help to maintain kids’ teeth healthy and strong. You can book an appointment for professional dental cleaning after the holiday feasting.  

Conclusion

The holiday season presents a lot of temptation that can break your diet and your oral hygiene habits. Taking care of your teeth beforehand will ensure you won’t end up having a dental emergency while celebrating. Having a regular checkup done is important to keep your smile beaming. By following the strong teeth tips in this article, you save your teeth from unnecessary damage caused by delicious festive meals, wine, and hot cocoa drinks. So enjoy the holiday treats and time with your family while preserving your dental health with a minimum effort but maximum results.