{"id":98,"date":"2019-12-11T19:14:41","date_gmt":"2019-12-11T19:14:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/?p=98"},"modified":"2020-01-15T19:14:49","modified_gmt":"2020-01-15T19:14:49","slug":"holiday-dental-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/2019\/12\/11\/holiday-dental-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Days of Holiday Dental Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"holiday<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The holidays are here, which means plenty of quality family\ntime, seeing old friends, and indulging in sugary treats. One of those things,\nhowever, is seriously detrimental to your oral health. If you want to learn how\nto avoid\ngetting cavities or gum disease<\/a> this holiday season, read this post where\nwe\u2019ve outlined twelve days of holiday dental tips.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

1. Be Careful of Candy Canes <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hard treats like candy canes and peppermint bark are\nabundant this time of year. If you bite down on them too forcefully, however,\nyou can chip or break your teeth. It\u2019s better to let these candies slowly\ndissolve in your mouth, as long as you brush afterwards! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Take It Easy on the Soda <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Soda is incredibly acidic. Even if you opt for the sugar-free\nvariety, your tooth enamel will still get eroded from the acid. If you just can\u2019t\npass up the soda, sip it through a straw to keep most of the acid off your\nteeth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Watch the Wine <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Red wine is famous for staining your pearly whites. Drink it\nwith food to mitigate just how much of it gets on your teeth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Don\u2019t Be Afraid to Indulge in Turkey <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Turkey is a great source of protein and phosphorous \u2013 both of\nwhich can strengthen your teeth and help your body fight off tooth decay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Choose Mouth-Healthy Stocking Stuffers <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Parents often fill their children\u2019s stocking with sugary treats\nthat can result in painful cavities. Consider instead gifting your child a new\ntoothbrush or sugar-free chewing gum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Eat Plenty of Veggies <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The next time you\u2019re at a holiday party, skip the sugar-filled\ntreats and stock up on fresh vegetables instead. Carrots and broccoli are\nparticularly great since they contain vitamin A, which fortifies your enamel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Chow Down on Cheese <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re going to indulge in soda or alcoholic beverages, snack\non cheese as well. The pH level in the cheese will neutralize the acids in the\ndrinks you just consumed, minimizing damage to your enamel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Carol While You Clean <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ideally, you should brush your teeth for two minutes at a\ntime, which is about the length of many old-timey holiday carols. Hum your\nfavorite while you clean your teeth, gums, and tongue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Don\u2019t Use Your Teeth as Tools <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As tempted as you might be to rip open a present with your\nteeth, don\u2019t do it. You could break your tooth or yank out dental restorations\nlike fillings and crowns. Use your hands instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Fill Up on Fruit <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re planning a holiday meal or party, lay out plates\nof fruit instead of sugary snacks. It will satisfy everyone\u2019s sugar cravings\nwhile not being as likely to cause cavities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Avoid Grazing <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During the holidays, we often lay out trays of items like\ncookies and candies and snack on them throughout the day and night. Constantly\nexposing your teeth to food increases your chances of developing tooth decay.\nInstead, lay out the food only at mealtimes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. See Your Dentist <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With all the chances to damage your pearly whites, this time\nof year is perfect to see your dentist for one of your biannual appointments. You\ncan get your teeth professional cleaned and shined so they\u2019ll sparkle for\nfamily holiday photos! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Author <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr.\nJon Davidson<\/a> obtained his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University\nof Detroit Mercy. In addition, he has undergone advanced training in dental\nimplants. If you knock out a tooth over the holiday season, he can replace it\nhimself. Contact his\npractice, Dental Dynamics in Skokie, IL, here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The holidays are here, which means plenty of quality family time, seeing old friends, and indulging in sugary treats. One of those things, however, is seriously detrimental to your oral health. If you want to learn how to avoid getting cavities or gum disease this holiday season, read this post where we\u2019ve outlined twelve days […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":100,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98\/revisions\/100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}