How to Keep Up With Your Dental Health During the Holiday Season

Holiday season is in full swing, and while people are worrying about what gifts to buy each other, they’re often forgetting about what could be harming their teeth. Because we want to see bright smiles coming into the New Year, Dental Associates of Connecticut thought we would give you some advice on how to keep up on your dental health during the holiday season.

1. Watch out for candy canes- while yummy, these can cause cracks and breaks in your teeth if bitten down incorrectly. While eating candy canes, it’s best to let it dissolve in your mouth, but make sure to brush thoroughly afterwards to get the sugar off your teeth.
2. Stay away from soda- holiday parties are filled with soda, but it’s a terrible drink for your teeth. Try drinking seltzer water as an alternative, but if you do drink soda, drink it through a straw to eliminate acid sitting on your teeth.
3. Be aware of wine- When drinking wine you should be aware of the color you choose; you have your reds and whites. However, when it comes to teeth, red wine stains them, while white wine is less risk of this. If you still want to drink red, make sure you’re eating food too, it will help mitigate how much stays on your teeth.
4. Consume more turkey- turkey is a great source of phosphorus and protein, which helps tooth decay and keep your teeth strong.
5. Veggies are your friend- although the sugary treats look delicious, try piling veggies on your plate. Specifically broccoli and carrots, which are a great source of Vitamin A, and strengthen enamel.
6. Cheese- if you’re drinking alcoholic beverages, make sure to have a plate of cheese to go along with it. The cheese neutralizes the acid from your drink.
7. Lastly- DON’T use your teeth as a tool to open packages! It causes breaks and cracks that can be very painful.