Maintain Your Smile This Year With 4 Holiday Tips From a Dentist

It goes without saying that everyone wants to avoid cavities and minimize the work they need from a dentist in Midland. At the same time, the holiday season only comes around once a year and you want to enjoy it! Fortunately, you don’t have to sacrifice holiday cheer to maintain a healthy smile. Keep reading for 4 easy ways to have a great time this year while still keeping your oral health in great shape. You’ll not only avoid spending time in the dental chair, but you’ll head into the new year with a smile that looks and feels fantastic. 

1. Be Careful With Chewy, Sticky Treats 

Caramel corn, toffee, and cinnamon rolls are just a few examples of holiday treats that adhere to your teeth. Unfortunately, frequently eating sweet, sticky foods is a recipe for getting major cavities. You can enjoy these foods occasionally, but try to brush immediately afterward to remove the sugars from your teeth.

2. Maintain Your Oral Hygiene When You’re On the Go 

Here are some easy ways to keep your teeth and gums clean when you’re away from home: 

• Keep an extra toothbrush and floss in your purse, car, or desk at work.
• When you can’t brush or floss, chew sugar-free gum to increase your salivary flow. This is a great way to freshen your breath and prevent cavities by neutralizing sugars and acids. 
• At the very least, swish with plain water several times after meals and snacks to wash away food debris and residual sugars.

3. Use the Right Tools For the Job 

It can be tempting to use your teeth to open packages or crack nuts, but you can easily chip a tooth or break your existing dental work that way. Instead, use a nut cracker, bottle opener, or pair of scissors to avoid emergency trips to the dentist. 

4. Schedule a Checkup 

Regular checkups are incredibly important to help you prevent problems altogether or at least find them when they’re small and easy to treat. If you’re overdue for one of these preventive visits, it’s a great time to schedule. You’ll not only get a clean bill of dental health, you’ll also get a professional cleaning that will help your teeth look great. 

This year, use these 4 easy tips to keep your smile shining bright while enjoying everything the holidays have to offer!

About the Author

Dr. Laura Philipps is a general, cosmetic and restorative dentist in Midland who focuses on prevention as much as possible. To help her patients enjoy the holidays to the fullest, she always provides tips to stay cavity-free while indulging in their favorite foods. If you have any questions about keeping your smile healthy this holiday season, she can be reached via her website.