Don’t Forget Your Smile This Holiday Season! Our Elmhurst Dentists Have Tips

Written by Dr. Scharfenberg on Dec 15, 2016

Don’t Forget Your Smile This Holiday Season! Our Elmhurst Dentists Have Tips

There are so many opportunities to celebrate during the holidays; and you know that parties and get-togethers are often stocked with delicious, and not so nutritious, goodies.

Sugary foods and drinks can lead to oral health problems. So, our Elmhurst dentists are here with some tips on how you can make good oral health decisions for your smile this holiday season.

It probably goes without saying, but consuming sugary treats in moderation, and only occasionally, is good for your smile!

Beyond that, make sure that you are drinking plenty of water every day. When you are adequately hydrated, your body is able to produce saliva; saliva naturally combats bacteria and helps to re-mineralize teeth. You can also rinse your mouth with water after eating or drinking something sugar; when you rinse your mouth, you are able to dislodge dental debris between your teeth and along your gums.

Be thoughtful, also, about the way that you indulge. What do we mean by this? Let’s say you’re going to eat three cookies. If you eat them at three different times of the day, the bacteria in your mouth are actually able to feed for a longer period of time than if you ate the same number of cookies at once. Oral bacteria feed on the sugars in your mouth for 20 to 30 minutes after you stop eating/drinking. So, consume treats thoughtfully—in discrete sittings!

Finally, don’t skip on flossing this holiday season! Flossing allows you to clear away plaque and dental debris from those hard-to-reach spaces between your teeth and along your gum line. It is crucial to brush and floss as recommended by your dentist!

As always, our Elmhurst dentists are her to give you any additional information that you may need about caring for your smile, and how sugars affect oral health. We look forward to speaking with you!