Thinking Ahead To Christmas And New Challenges For Our Oral Health

A few dental related thoughts for the upcoming festive season.

For some patients of the SG Dental and Implant Centre, the mention of Christmas might seem a little premature, but the reality is that it is only a month or so away. Most of us have a lot of things to do before then and this is something  which can contribute to oral health neglect in some cases. In fact, while the holidays are to be enjoyed as best as we can, it is also a time when our teeth perhaps, come under more challenges than usual. Much of this can be avoided with a little care, but, of course, the first step is to be aware of what problems can arise.

The run in period

This is a time for many that is very busy indeed, with lots of shopping and extra crowds to deal with as well. It can be a time when we neglect our daily routines, especially around eating. As we rush around the shops looking for presents, we might sustain our energy levels by numerous trips to coffee shops etc. Cake often features in this,and, as we know, contains quite a bit of sugar. It is perhaps more important though to take care of what you drink. Some speciality coffees can be very high in sugar including in one well known chain, where one drink contains as much as three times the recommended daily intake; and that is before you consume anything else.

Take care too, not to get too stressed at this time. Teeth grinding is one possible consequence of this, which can cause worn or even broken teeth.

It is also worth mentioning that if you have a check up appointment booked at our Burton dentists during this time, please don’t cancel it simply because you are too busy. Oral health care is important and you should make sure to keep any appointments if you possibly can.

It’s party time

As adults, one of the things we look forward to at this time is the parties and social occasions where we get to meet new people and people we haven’t seen for some time. This can be great fun and it is not unusual for quite a bit of alcohol to be consumed. Aside from any risk of damaged teeth caused by falls or collisions, alcohol is well known to be a contributing factor to gum disease. If you do drink alcohol, try to drink plenty of water as well to minimise the effects of a dry mouth while you sleep, as a dry mouth can cause bacteria to multiply more rapidly.

Don’t be tempted to accept any cigarettes that are offered to you, especially if you have recently quit. Nicotine is highly addictive and you could find yourself smoking again; a very big risk factor for both periodontal disease and oral cancers.

Christmas festivities

You have finally arrived at the main days of Christmas, and naturally you deserve to have a good time and enjoy yourself as much as possible. We all know that we are likely to over indulge too much at this time of the year, often ignoring any restrictions that we normally put on sugary foods etc at this time of the year. Without spoiling the fun, there are still a few little things to remember and a few small things that you can do to help keep on top of your oral health.

Grazing

We are all familiar with eating too much Christmas pudding, yet most of us still find the time, and stomach room, to continue grazing throughout the day. Crisps, nuts, dates plus the inevitable chocolates of course, seem to find a space in our already bloated stomachs. Even where these are not high in sugar or sticky, the problem still remains that constantly grazing on foods like this means that our teeth don’t get the chance to remineralise and this can leave our teeth less well protected.

While still enjoying yourself, do try to leave some time between foods, including snacks, so that your teeth can remineralise and harden again, helping to protect your teeth.

Sticky foods

The list of sticky foods that are consumed at this time of the year can be very long. The trouble with these is that they stick to, and between, the teeth and remain on the enamel for longer than non-sticky foods. They can also be very difficult to remove, even by brushing and flossing. Try to avoid eating too many sticky foods and stick largely to those that melt in your mouth, allowing saliva to wash much of the sugar away until such time that you clean your teeth.

Your teeth are not tools!

Please remember that your teeth are for biting and chewing food, not for cracking nuts, opening packets or ripping tape. It shouldn’t need to be said, but apparently does for some people, do NOT open bottles with your teeth. Not only can you break your teeth this way but one slip and you could severely injure your mouth and lips.

Let cheese be your friend

A little tip at the end of a meal is to eat a small piece of cheese. Much of the food that we eat, and especially perhaps at Christmas, can tend to be acidic. By eating some cheese it helps to rebalance the acidity in your mouth and helps to protect the tooth enamel.

Exhaustion and tooth neglect

Christmas can be a lot of fun but it can be very exhausting too, especially if you have children as well. Whatever else you do, please remember to make sure that you brush your teeth well and use dental floss. However exhausted you are, this should be the one essential thing you do. Make sure too, not to sneak an extra chocolate or anything other than water after brushing. This will help to give your teeth time to recover.

Finally, if you are visiting friends and relatives and staying overnight, make sure to pack your toothbrush and floss!

If you would like to contact us to book, or re-arrange, an appointment at our Burton practice, please call the SG Dental and Implant Centre on 01283 845345.