The holidays can be tough on teeth! Keep them healthy with
these holiday tips:
The best way to avoid cavities while still enjoying your holiday
indulgences is to practice good oral hygiene. Here are some tips to help:
Eating sugary or carbohydrate-rich foods as part of a balanced meal is
better than eating them alone. The body produces more saliva to help digest
larger meals, which washes away more food and helps neutralize harmful acids
before they can attack teeth.
Foods that take a long time to chew can damage teeth. That's because
sticky foods, including nutritious choices like raisins, dates and dried fruit,
hold acid against teeth longer than do other foods. Try to limit your
consumption of these foods.
After consuming high-acid food (fruits) or drinks (wine), rinse with
water before brushing your teeth to prevent tooth erosion from the acids.
Keep a toothbrush and travel-size toothpaste handy (for example, in your
pocket or purse or store these in the glove compartment of your car) so that
you can brush right after eating at holiday parties. An added benefit is that
you are less likely to eat after you brush your teeth, so you may end up eating
less at parties.
If you're unable to brush your teeth after eating, rinsing your mouth
thoroughly with water or chewing sugar-free gum will help to wash away food
particles, produce more saliva and neutralize acids in your mouth
For more holiday tips, visit http://bit.ly/IEXWZM
