4 Tricks To Avoid A Cavity Under Your Christmas Tree This Year

October 12, 2021

Christmas Tree This Year

Who doesn’t love Christmas? For many, it’s one of their favourite times of the year! Good company, plenty of films on TV and food!

Christmas has been used as an excuse for pretty much everything, not going to the gym, not being productive and eating absolutely EVERYTHING! Sound familiar? But what it shouldn’t be is an excuse for poor dental hygiene.

Your dental hygiene is important every single day, so we’ve put together 4 top tips to avoid a cavity under your Christmas tree this year!

Four Tips To Oral Health This Winter

1. Drinking plenty of water!

If you’re snacking on sweets or other sugary treats, make sure they have a drink in hand as well. Drinking water alongside snacks can help rinse the sugar off of teeth, reducing the risk for plaque build-up. Try to limit or avoid drinks like juices and soda that have added sugar that will only increase the risk for tooth decay.

2. Think about how long you’re eating.

When eating this holiday season, consider how long it will be in your mouth. For example, hard-boiled sweets will stay in the mouth much longer than something like a cookie, giving it more opportunity to line the teeth with sugar. The longer the teeth are exposed to sugary foods, the more damage they can do. An important tip to reducing cavities during the holidays is to avoid or limit these long-lasting sugary snacks and replace them with foods that are eaten immediately.

3. Brush after meals!

The longer the teeth are left coated in sugary foods the more damage will be done. Although brushing twice a day is the basic rule, during the holiday when an excess of sugary foods are eaten it is recommended that you brush after meals to prevent plaque build-up! Proper tooth brushing will help remove particles of the sugary snacks that get stuck on the surfaces of teeth or in between them. However, you should wait at least half an hour after eating to brush. Brushing too soon after sugary and acidic foods can cause vulnerable enamel to be damaged.

4. Limit sugar intake.

Yes, that’s right! One of the easiest ways to lower sugar intake is to watch what you’re drinking! Many fizzy drinks have an excess of sugar which will line the teeth. Limiting the number of sugary drinks will reduce your sugar intake by plenty! If you do have fizzy drinks try to opt for sugar-free options or reduced sugar!

Call or text us on +44 01264608425 if you have any dental concerns or if you need information about any of the treatment options available.