Four ways to protect your smile this Christmas
Food at Christmas tends to be high in sugar. Think of sweets, chocolates, Christmas pudding, candy canes, gingerbread men, yule logs, the chocolate in Advent calendars… the list goes on and on.
And all this sugar can be bad for our teeth. Sugar feeds the bacteria in your mouth, which in turn can cause plaque and cavities.
Don’t worry though, because, in this blog post, we’ll give you a few tips on how to keep your teeth healthy during the Christmas holidays.
1. Brush your teeth twice a day
The most important thing you can do to keep your teeth clean and healthy is to brush them twice a day. That’s once in the morning and once before going to bed. Regular brushing helps to keep plaque under control and it stops cavities from forming.
Children should brush their teeth twice a day too, and this includes during Christmas. We know that it’s easy for children to forget this at Christmas, especially on Christmas Day, what with all the excitement and new toys to play with. But please do spare a few minutes for your children to brush their teeth. It’s the best way to prevent tooth decay and cavities.
2. Limit the sugary food you eat
Food is an important part of Christmas, but one of the best things we can do for our teeth is to reduce the sugary foods we eat.
This could mean buying sugar-free mince pies instead of normal mince pies. It could also mean getting your child an Advent calendar with a toy or a picture behind each window instead of chocolate.
When you start to think about it, there are lots of ways to reduce the sugar you eat at Christmas.
3. Put out carrots instead of mince pies
It’s tradition to put out a mince pie and a glass of milk on Christmas Eve. It’s supposed to keep Santa fed on his long journey from the North Pole.
But why not replace the mince pie with some carrots instead? You can tell your children that the carrots are for the reindeer, who will be hungry after flying so far. By using carrots (which are good for your teeth) instead of mince pies (which are bad for your teeth), you’re setting a good example of healthy food choices.
4. Make sure you see a dentist if you have any dental problems
If you get tooth pain at Christmas or any other dental problem, it’s best to see a dentist as soon as possible. You might be tempted to put off seeing a dentist until after Christmas, but by then, the problem could be worse. So see a dentist ASAP!
Conclusion
At this time of year, it’s more important than ever to look after your teeth. There’s a lot you can do though to keep your teeth healthy – this includes brushing twice a day and watching the amount of sugar that you eat.
That’s it from us for this year. We hope that you and your families have a great Christmas and that you find a spare moment to think about your children’s teeth. From all of us here, have a merry Christmas and we’ll see you next year!
Posted in: Dental tips
Leave a Comment (0) →