The holiday season is quickly approaching, and with it, we often indulge in foods and drinks that we don’t regularly consume year-round. While these items may be delicious, more often than not, they’re not exactly nutritious, either for our waistline or our dental health. No one wants to ruin their holidays by making an extra trip to see their emergency dentist in Center. Let’s talk a few tips to avoid having a dental emergency this holiday season.
Avoid Hard Foods
Your enamel, or the outermost layer of your teeth, is the hardest material in your entire body. However, it can still be damaged. Accidentally biting into a popcorn kernel or chewing hard candy or nuts can lead to a broken tooth that constitutes a severe dental emergency.
Generally, you should avoid chewing on an item if it’s as hard or harder than your teeth.
Don’t Let Bacteria Build Up
When you consume foods or beverages with lots of sugar, bacteria cling to the leftovers in your mouth and feed on them, creating acids that wear away at your tooth enamel. This can result in cavities and even gum tissue damage.
Here are a few tips to decrease your sugar consumption this holiday season:
- If you’re going to eat chocolate, stick to dark chocolate, since it usually contains less sugar.
- Set a limit for the number of sweet items you’re going to consume per day, and don’t go over it.
- Chew sugar-free gum after a meal or snack. This will allow your saliva to better wash away leftover food particles and bacteria.
Keep Up with Your Oral Hygiene
The two most important habits you can keep during the holiday season are brushing and flossing every day. Your toothbrush helps remove food debris that can get left behind after a meal, while dental floss can get rid of bacteria that like to hide in hard-to-reach areas of your teeth and gums.
Drink Plenty of Water
Did you know that drinking water can actually help digest your food after a meal? It also bathes your teeth and washes away leftover food debris that could lead to cavities. Furthermore, sipping water throughout the day can curb your cravings for sugar and keep you from overindulging in holiday sweets.
See Your Dentist
The holiday season is an excellent time to visit your dentist in Center for a routine checkup and cleaning. Your dentist can make sure your mouth is in good condition and diagnose any problems, such as tiny cavities, before they turn into serious dental emergencies, like a severe toothache.
Whether you want to schedule a preventive care visit or have a seriously urgent dental situation, your emergency dentist in Center is here to take care of you this holiday season!
About the Author
Dr. Thomas Youngblood received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Dental School in 2002. His professional memberships include the American Dental Association, the Texas Dental Association, the East Texas Dental Society, and an Affiliate Member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. To schedule an appointment this holiday season, click here or call (936) 427-9070.