Oral Hygiene Tips for the Holidays

The holidays are a special time of year, bringing us celebrations with family and even a few vacation days!

Here at our dental practice, we appreciate your loyalty and support. We love visiting with our patients and think of you as members of our dental family.

And so, we hope that you have a splendid holiday season with your family and loved ones. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season with the people in your life.

Dental health should be part of your holiday season.

Holiday events and Christmas parties bring delicious foods and plenty of places to eat them.

But not all food is as good for your dental health as your taste buds. This time of year, you need to be very careful about what you put into your mouth.

You should also remember to treat any dental damage caused during the holidays as soon as possible.

Remember to call us over the holidays if you have any dental issues.

Call us for cracked teeth, loose crowns, damaged fillings, and bridge problems.

Many holiday foods are hard or sticky, which can take their toll on your teeth.

We will do all we can to try to see you on the same day you discover your dental issue.

With all that said, here are a few tips to remember as you enjoy the holidays.

Avoid hard foods

There is something satisfying about crunching on nuts or the ice in your holiday drinks, but this can be very bad for oral health.

Hard foods can crack teeth and damage or destroy dental work and appliances.

Chewy/sticky foods are similar to hard foods.

They can attach to dental work or appliances and damage or loosen them. Further, they stick to the teeth, making plaque build-up more likely.

Eating hard or chewy foods is gambling on dental damage. Some holiday foods, like candy canes, are hard AND sticky. These are foods to avoid!

Choose the right drink.

Holiday parties are rife with soda and alcoholic drinks, and both can be a threat to your teeth. Sodas are full of sugar and have high acid levels.

If you’re searching for something bubbly, choose fizzy mineral water over soda.

If you drink soda, a straw can help to keep most of the acid and sugar away from your teeth. Red wine, particularly, is a stainer. If you are going to drink wine, drink white wine.

Also, don’t drink too much, as too much alcohol can dehydrate the body and lead to a dry mouth.

A dry mouth means your teeth aren’t protected by saliva, which is particularly bad before sleep.

Stock your stockings well.

Christmas stockings are often stuffed with sugary treats that can cause cavities in children. Limit your child’s candy intake.

Also, you can give them stocking stuffers that are actively good for their teeth—floss or toothpaste in an interesting new flavour or a coloured or superhero-related toothbrush.

Watch out for starchy foods.

These little sneaks stick between your teeth and offer the perfect food for bacteria that create plaque and tartar and lead to cavities.

If you choose cakes or chips, take extra care when you floss that day to remove all the food residue that can cause plaque build-up.

Also, rinse after eating starchy foods or chew sugar-free gum to clean your teeth.

Don’t use your teeth as a tool.

This is very important. Every holiday season, we see an uptick in patients visiting us with cracked or chipped teeth because they used their teeth as a tool.

The holidays come with packages that need to be opened, tape that needs to be cut, and bottles that need to be opened. Resist the urge to use your teeth in these cases.

Using your teeth as a tool can cause chips and breaks. If you suffer from any damage to your teeth or mouth, we will do all we can to make it right so you can resume enjoying your holidays.

But have fun! One of the fun things about the holidays is the chance to overindulge or enjoy something we normally don’t occasionally.

But practice moderation! And if you do indulge, treat your mouth properly when you are done.

Brush, rinse, or chew sugar-free gum after an indulgence; keep up your good oral habits at home, and if you have a scheduled dental appointment, be sure to make it!

A Brighter Dental Experience in Leederville

Dentists on Vincent offers a friendly environment in a lovely heritage building that doesn’t feel like you’re at the dentist!

Our dental practice offers a child-friendly environment as we address their apprehension towards treatment.

We take the time to explain your options and how we can provide you with a smile you can be proud of.

Dr Lamattina is very gentle; your mouth will feel great and look fantastic.

We offer convenient times to complete your treatment, and it’s easy to find us just off the freeway.

Don’t put it off any longer; call us for a consultation appointment and see what we can do to give you confidence and esteem in yourself.

Visit your Leederville dentist today!

For more information, call us at (08) 9242 4400 or request an appointment online.

We are located at 322 Vincent St in Leederville.

PARKING/PUBLIC TRANSPORT

There is ample car parking across the road from the practice

There are cafes and eateries within walking distance

LOCATION

Dentists on Vincent is located in Leederville, 14 min from Northbridge and only short stroll from Leederville Oval and Water Corporation