Thankful for a Healthy Smile: A Guide to Holiday Dental Care

Pumpkin spice season is here, and it’s a perfect time to share thanks with family and friends. While the holiday season calls for indulgences, it can impact your oral health. Fortunately, with a few healthy habits, you can maintain your gratitude for your healthy smile well into the new year. 

Paula Skowronski-Adamiak, DDS, and the family dentistry team at Oasis Family Dental in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, can help you maintain a healthy smile during the holidays and beyond. 

Tips for a healthy smile 

The holidays don’t have to affect your oral health. With a little awareness, you can protect your teeth and enjoy yourself. 

Balance your holiday indulgences 

Holiday festivities often include plenty of sugary treats. They’re fun, but constant snacking can leave sugar and starch on your teeth, feeding bacteria that lead to tooth decay.  Research shows that frequent nibbling on sweets exposes your teeth to acid, which breaks down your teeth’s enamel. 

A better option is to enjoy your holiday treats with meals when your saliva production is at its highest. Saliva helps neutralize acids that can contribute to tooth decay. 

However, if you simply can’t wait, you can rinse your mouth with water or chew sugar-free gum to help remove the acids. 

Sip smart 

So many yummy holiday beverages, so much sugar or acid. Wine and soda are acidic drinks. Fruit juices are sugary. By alternating any of these with water and using a straw when possible to limit contact with your teeth, you can help support your mouth’s natural cleaning system. 

Maintain your routine (even during the busy holiday season) 

When you’re bouncing from one event to another, brushing and flossing can slip. But even skipping a night or two allows plaque to take hold. The ADA recommends brushing twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily. 

One way to stay on top of your brushing routine is to keep a travel-sized toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss in your bag for use on the go. 

Don’t use your teeth as tools 

Tearing open plastic-wrapped mints with your teeth is a recipe for trouble. Every holiday season, people find themselves with self-induced mishaps, such as cracking nuts, tearing tape, or, yes, opening plastic-wrapped candies. 

No one wants a chipped tooth to dampen holiday festivities. 

Start the new year with a dazzling smile 

A professional teeth cleaning welcomes the new year on the right note. We remove tartar, polish away any stains, and conduct a thorough checkup of your teeth so we can catch small issues early. 

A healthy smile is something to celebrate. Enjoy the peppermint bark, laugh with friends and family, and make the most of the season. 

At Oasis Family Dental in the Jefferson Park section of Chicago, we welcome you. You can schedule your professional dental cleaning online.