Christmas is just around the corner and the sugar rush of the silly season doesn’t just have an impact on our waistline, it can take its toll on our dental health too. Here we consider some of the ways you can ensure good dental hygiene and health these holidays.
Forgetting the waistline for the moment…
When it comes to dental health, it’s not necessarily the amount of sugar we eat and drink over Christmas, it’s more about how long that sugar stays in our mouth.
Christmas sweets tend to be sticky – think candy canes, boiled sweets and sticky toffees. These types of foods stay in your mouth and between your teeth after eating, combing with your mouth’s natural bacteria and forming acids that wear away at your tooth enamel and causes cavities.
Christmas is also a time when many of us neglect our oral hygiene routines and perhaps go to bed of a night after drinking without brushing our teeth. While one night of going to bed without brushing your teeth won’t hurt, repeated nights of not brushing your teeth will have an impact on your dental health.
So here are some hot tips from Shire Dental Centre to enjoy safety.
Indulge without injury
- Buy a new toothbrush – really you should be doing this every three months anyway.
- If you’re being particularly naughty, brush your teeth three times a day during the Christmas season.
- Don’t forget to floss at least once a day.
- Chew some sugarless gum – this creates more saliva to help wash away sugar and other harmful acids.
- For those really big nights where you can’t coordinate brushing and flossing, keep a bottle of mouthwash handy.
Don’t be over zealous
Earlier this year the Australian Dental Association (ADA) reviewed a survey carried out in 12 countries, by YouGov on behalf of the FDI World Dental Federation, which exposed a significant gap between what Australians believed to be good oral health practices, versus what actually are good oral health practices.
Just over half (51%) of people surveyed mistakenly thought it was important to brush your teeth straight after every main meal. The FDI recommends waiting at least 30 minutes after eating to brush your teeth to avoid weakening tooth enamel.
About us
Shire Dental’s goal is to create happy, healthy smiles for life. Our expert team help us achieve this goal through a commitment to ongoing professional development and patient education. To find out more or make an appointment, click here>
