Tips To Help Keep Your Teeth Merry And White This Holiday Season
Many people are well aware that some of their favorite holiday treats are not exactly healthy. However, most people don't realize that in addition to increasing your calorie and sugar intake, many of these treats can be harmful to your teeth. Many holiday goodies can stain teeth, leave sugar behind on the teeth or cause acid erosion. Luckily, there are steps you can take to help keep your teeth merry and white this holiday season.
Drink Lots of Sparkling Water
Staying hydrated can help ensure that you have glowing skin. But water can also help loosen particles from your teeth and get your saliva flowing, which helps to prevent cavities and decay. But, if you have been drinking drinks that can stain your teeth, such as red wine and coffee, or eating foods that can stain your teeth, such as berries and chocolate, you might want to drink sparkling water instead of regular water.
After indulging in some of your favorite holiday goodies, grab a glass of sparkling water. The bubbles from the carbonation help to break up the food particles that are sticking to your teeth that can lead to stains. Swish the water around your mouth for a few seconds for the best results. Doing this after every glass of wine, cup of coffee or chocolate treat can help keep your smile white throughout the holiday season.
Drink Through a Straw
Drinking red wine, hot coffee and tea from a straw may sound a bit strange. But doing so can help to minimize the amount of contact these items have with your teeth. Minimizing the amount of contact they have with teeth helps prevent them from staining your teeth. So as you sip your favorite holiday beverages, drink them from a straw instead of straight out of a cup. This can help keep your teeth looking as white as the winter snow.
Minimize the Amount of Acidic Foods You Eat
Wine, sodas and oranges are just a couple of the snacks that you may find yourself noshing on this holiday season. Unfortunately, these foods are acidic. As you eat them, the acid can slowly eat away at the enamel on your teeth. This causes your teeth to lose some of their shine and causes them to become discolored. And unlike other stains, staining caused by acid erosion can't be fixed with bleaching or gels. As such, you want to pay close attention to how much acidic food you eat at your holiday parties.
Try to limit your intake to no more than two to three acidic food or drink items per day. If you go to a party and indulge in more than that, try to cut back for the rest of the week. And after you eat or drink acidic items, brush your teeth as soon as you can to prevent the acid from sitting on your teeth. If you already have acid erosion, talk to your dentist about ways you can prevent further damage and your specific limits for acidic foods.
Remember to Brush Your Teeth Before Bed
The last tip to keep your teeth merry and white this holiday season may sound simple, but many people need to be reminded. The best way to keep your teeth healthy, white and cavity-free is to brush your teeth first thing in the morning and before you go to bed.
After attending a holiday party or shopping all day, you may be tempted to throw on your pajamas and head to bed. But if you go to bed without brushing your teeth, all of the food you have been eating throughout the day, including holiday cookies and candy, sit on your teeth overnight. This can lead to cavities. You may be exhausted, but taking a couple minutes to brush your teeth is the best way to protect them.
The holiday season can be rough on your teeth. But, drinking sparkling water often, drinking through a straw, minimizing the acidic foods you eat and remembering to brush your teeth every night can help you get through the holiday season with healthy white teeth.
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