So you’re excited for the Holiday season and the countless parties you will have to attend! You have gone one step further and got your teeth whitened to get your smile holiday ready or you have just had your routine teeth cleaning appointment. Now with parties comes the yummy and great holiday food and drink which is definitely going to take a toll on your recently brighter teeth. So how do you keep your healthy smile that way through the holiday season?

The goal is to make sure your smile is healthy looking and even ‘feels’ healthy even though you may be indulging a little the next few days. So here are some things to keep in mind- 

1. The holidays are filled with sweetened and alcoholic drinks which can dry out your mouth and increase the risk of tooth decay. Not to mention that red wine can cause teeth staining. What you can do is enjoy your drink while you are eating instead of before or after your meal. Why? Because with food, you are reducing the exposure of that drink on your teeth. So a shorter drink time will be less harsh on your teeth. 

2. You should snack once instead of all day. While we prep for holiday meals or even when we are waiting around the natural tendency is to keep snacking. When you snack there is acid production in your mouth to break down the food and hence serves as a initial start for dental decay. When you keep snacking throughout the day- you are causing repeated acid production which will cause negative effects on your teeth.

3. With all the food and drink you will be consuming don’t forget to up your water intake! Not only will this prevent dehydration and that dreaded hangover but also water flushes out the food between your teeth, prevents drying of your mouth and reduces the staining on your teeth. 

4. Choose crunchier or softer food over sticky. Why? Because sticky food like dishes which contains caramel, peanut butter, dates etc can stick to and in between teeth and is difficult to clean. Being sweet they can hold sugar for a long time and  they can stick to fillings and sealants and may even weaken them on worse pull them out! Instead load up on crunchy fruits and fibrous veggies which while being healthy (important for the post-holiday waist line!) is also really good for your teeth.

The holiday season should be about spending time with family and friends and bonding over good food so don’t deprive yourself! However there are small things that you can do to avoid unexpected visit to the dentist (even though we would love that!) Eat what you want but brush and floss after and if thats not feasible then atleast rinse with water! Have a Happy Holiday everyone !