Everyone loves the holiday season. Visiting family, catching up with old friends, and eating good food make December the highlight of some people’s year. Among dentists, however, the holidays also have a reputation as the worst time for people’s teeth. If you want to learn more about the hazards that arise from the holiday season, here’s a guide that can give you a little bit of information.
Is the Holiday Season the Worst Time of Year for Oral Health?
There are two main reasons why the holidays are dangerous to oral health. The first is that there are a lot of seasonal foods that can contribute to problems. Candy, pie, tough meats, and starchy side dishes can coat the mouth in sugar, or they can put unnecessary strain on your teeth. People also tend to snack on leftovers throughout the day, meaning the mouth doesn’t have time to clean itself.
This leads to the second reason why the holidays are so rough on our teeth: people’s dental hygiene may start to slip. When you’re traveling, staying with relatives, and grazing on leftovers, it can be difficult to keep up with brushing and flossing after meals. This compounds the damage that holiday foods do to your teeth.
How Do I Stop the Holidays from Affecting My Teeth?
Fortunately, there are preventative measures you can take to protect your oral health over the holidays. Of course, you can always try and cut back on some of the more dangerous foods for your teeth. If you worry that you might overindulge in sides and dessert, you might want to fill up on tooth-healthy entrees, like turkey. Also, if you haven’t already, try getting a travel dental hygiene kit. They’ll contain travel-sized products that can make brushing, flossing, and cleaning on the go much more convenient.
If you feel like you’ve overindulged during the holidays, you might want to schedule a cleaning with your dentist in January. They might be able to undo some of the damage that’s been done by holiday feasting.
About the Author
Dr. Gus Bal is a dentist who’s been practicing for nearly three decades, and he’s spent that time learning everything he could about how to best serve his patients. He takes a comprehensive approach to oral medicine, listening to his patients’ concerns and forming treatment plans customized to their needs. Dr. Bal is a graduate of the Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, and he’s committed himself to continuing his education ever since. If you have any questions about how to take care of your teeth this holiday season, he can be reached at his website or by phone at 416-613-8390.
