Christmas is a wonderful time for celebration, family, and, let’s be honest, indulgence! However, the festive season’s abundance of treats and drinks can be a bit of a challenge for your oral health. A little bit of planning can ensure your teeth stay in tip-top condition, avoiding the dreaded post-Christmas holiday dental check-up blues.
The Double Trouble of Sugar and Snacking
Christmas is synonymous with sweets: quality street, selection boxes, shortbread, and Christmas pudding. While delicious, these treats pose a significant threat to your smile. When you consume sugar, the bacteria in your mouth feast on it, producing acid as a by-product. This acid is what erodes your tooth enamel, leading to dental decay and cavities. It’s not just the amount of sugar, but the frequency of your sugar intake that causes the most damage.
Your Festive Sugar Strategy:
- Time it Right: Try to enjoy your sugary treats as part of a meal (like dessert) rather than constant snacking throughout the day. Meals encourage saliva production, which helps neutralise the damaging acid.
- The Chewing Gum Trick: After a sweet snack, chew sugar-free gum. This also stimulates saliva flow, washing away food particles and strengthening enamel.
- The Water Rinse: Swill your mouth with plain water after having a chocolate or a biscuit to quickly rinse residual sugar off your teeth.
Alcohol and Acidity: Why Your Drinks Matter
Whether you’re celebrating with a glass of Prosecco, a mulled wine, or a festive cocktail,
increased alcohol intake often goes hand-in-hand with the Christmas holidays. Many alcoholic beverages, particularly white wine, cider, and mixers (like fizzy drinks), are highly acidic. This acid can directly attack your tooth enamel in a process called erosion.
Additionally, many seasonal drinks are packed with hidden sugars e.g. liqueurs, creamy cocktails, and soft drinks mixed with spirits. This combination of acid and sugar creates a perfect storm for dental problems.
Guarding Against Erosion:
- Rinse and Wait: After drinking an acidic beverage, rinse your mouth with water. Crucially, don’t brush immediately! Brushing an acid-softened tooth surface can cause more damage. Wait at least 30 minutes for your saliva to neutralise the acid before picking up your toothbrush.
- Use a Straw: For fizzy drinks and cocktails, using a straw can help the liquid bypass the front surfaces of your teeth.
- The Cheese Course: Eating cheese helps! It’s an excellent source of calcium and raises the pH level in your mouth, counteracting the acid.
Your Essential Christmas Dental Routine
A few simple steps will keep your mouth healthy and your breath fresh for those under-the-mistletoe moments:
- Brush Twice a Day, Every Day: This might seem obvious, but sticking to your routine is vital when everything else is chaotic. Use a fluoride toothpaste and brush for two minutes, once in the morning and once last thing at night.
- Don’t Forget to Floss: Food is notorious for getting stuck during the Christmas holidays (hello, turkey and stuffing!). Flossing or using interdental brushes removes plaque and food from between your teeth, where your brush can’t reach.
- Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water not only helps with digestion but also keeps your mouth moist, washing away food debris and sugars.
Time to Book Your New Year Check-Up
By following these simple tips, you can enjoy the magic of Christmas without compromising your dental health. If you’re concerned about your teeth, or simply due for a check-up, starting the new year with a healthy smile is the best present you can give yourself!
For professional advice and outstanding dental care, we recommend visiting the experts at Acorn Dental and learning more about their services: https://acorndental.co.uk/.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from a dental perspective!
