12 Days of a Healthy Smile

1. Watch Out for Candy Canes

Hard candies, like peppermints and candy canes, are delectable and widely accessible over the holidays. But if you bite them incorrectly, they can break your teeth. To avoid chipping or damaging your teeth, it may be preferable to let sweets dissolve. However, make sure to rinse your teeth properly after consuming any type of candy.

2. Avoid Drinking Soda

Sweet soda is frequently served at holiday celebrations, but it’s never beneficial for your teeth. Instead of soda, consider sparkling water if you want something effervescent. Using a straw will keep much of the acid from your teeth.

3. Minimize the Wine

If you enjoy a glass of red wine, our Louisville family dentists warn that it may discolor your teeth. Red wine should only be consumed with meals to reduce the amount of staining it causes on your teeth. White wine poses less of a threat to your pearly whites.

4. Consume More Turkey

Turkey is a festive dish that’s healthy for your teeth. It’s a fantastic source of protein and phosphorus, two nutrients that can support strong, healthy teeth and help your body battle tooth decay.

5. Fill Stockings with Care

The sugary goodies that are frequently seen in Christmas stockings might give your children cavities. Instead, think about giving up sweets completely or sticking to one sweet treat instead of grazing on sweets throughout the day or late at night before bed. Consider including a snazzy new toothbrush on your Christmas gift list for them too.

6. Dive into Veggies

Avoid the Christmas cookie and brownie plates at gatherings and load up on vegetables. Due to their high Vitamin A content, which fortifies enamel, broccoli and carrots are healthy snacks that also help promote good oral health.

7. Munch on Cheese

If you’re consuming alcoholic beverages during gatherings, choose cheese as your snack. In addition to being a healthy, filling snack, our family dentists in Jeffersonville explain that calcium’s pH-balancing properties also assist in neutralizing the acid found in alcoholic beverages.

8. Sing While You Clean

The ideal amount of time to brush your teeth is two minutes. So sing a few verses and choruses of your favorite Christmas song while you brush. You’ll probably have enough time to thoroughly clean your teeth and gums.  

9. Use a Tool: Not Your Teeth

The Christmas season brings parcels to open, wrapped gifts, and a ton of other items you might be tempted to rip apart or cut with your teeth. Avoid doing it! Breaks and chips can result from using your teeth as a tool.

10. Eat Fruit

Consider serving fruit for your holiday dessert rather than a lot of sweet treats. If you’re hosting a large dinner or party, consider making only one sweet dessert rather than several cakes and pies, and then prepare a large fruit dish to satisfy your sweet taste.

11. Skip the Grazing

People frequently leave food out while entertaining during the holidays. Your teeth’s vulnerability to decay may increase if you snack continuously. So, the next time you attend a holiday gathering or throw one of your own, avoid the temptation of snacking on food over an extended period. Instead, consume your food as a meal and rinse your mouth with water if you cannot brush your teeth.

12. Make it Memorable

We frequently center holiday gatherings around food, but neither your teeth nor your waistline will benefit from it. Set up games, crafts, holiday movie marathons, or other distractions to divert attention from the food. Holiday parties don’t have to revolve around food and alcohol. Incorporate some other activities instead of food that will help build lasting memories.

Family Dentists in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and Louisville and Shepherdsville, Kentucky

The holiday season is a time when you should enjoy the moments with friends, family, and loved ones. However, keep your oral health in the front of your mind and make wise food and drink choices this holiday season to keep your smile bright. Visit our Shepherdsville family dental office before the holidays to prepare your smile for the endless photos or after the holidays to ensure a clean, healthy smile. Call Exceptional Dentistry at (502) 423-7868 or contact us online to request an appointment.