5 Oral Care Tips for the Holidays

The Smiles for Centreville dental office is proud to be serving our clients in order to provide them with a comfortable and pleasant dental care experience that meets and exceeds their oral care needs. Located in Centreville, Virginia, our team of skilled dental care professionals offers our clients expert-level cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry services. We are confident that our professional dental practitioners and staff will meet any and all of your unique dental needs to restore and improve your oral health.

Our team encourages all of our clients to take their oral health seriously all year round. With the holiday season quickly approaching, Smiles for Centreville understands that our clients are busy gathering with family and friends, or out shopping to find gifts for their loved ones. But even with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we want to make sure that you and your family maintain the best oral hygiene possible. Here are a few key oral care tips to keep in mind as you get ready for holiday dinners and parties alike.

Keep an Eye on the Alcohol

Wine is a popular mainstay on the holiday table. It can be easy to overindulge on alcohol like red wine during the holiday season. However too much red wine and other darker alcohols can lead to stained teeth if you aren’t careful. If wine is your seasonal alcohol of choice, consider instead drinking a white wine. Or, try pairing your red wine with different foods to limit staining to your teeth.

Other alcoholic beverages including some popular mixed drinks contain a great deal of sugar and other teeth-damaging ingredients. If that wasn’t bad enough, alcohol leads to a dry mouth, which can be embarrassing if you’re in the middle of a conversation with family or friends. If you plan on drinking alcohol during holiday dinner, consider lower-sugar options to keep your oral hygiene in check.

Flossing is Still a Priority

Even when it isn’t the holiday season, it can be easy to forget just how important flossing is to maintain a healthy and beautiful smile. Flossing is essential to gum and tooth health for both children and adults.

For one, it can be difficult to get rid of irritating and persistent food debris from your teeth. Of course, using a toothbrush daily is critical for good oral hygiene. But a toothbrush alone isn’t enough to keep your gums and teeth in the best shape possible. Floss can help remove food debris and even reduce plaque that has built up over time. To top it off, flossing can help get rid of unwanted bad breath. Don’t drive away family and friends this holiday season because you haven’t flossed frequently enough.

Stay Hydrated

It’s important to stay hydrated year-round for optimal oral health. But winter weather during the holiday season can be particularly cool and dry, leading to oral hygiene-related complications. This kind of weather can wreak havoc on your immune system. Try drinking an extra bottle of water during winter months to keep your mouth lubricated and your salivary glands producing saliva, to fight off any unwanted bacteria. As a bonus, drinking water with fluoride is another easy method to keep your mouth healthy and give you the energy you need for your holiday activities.

Time to Switch Out your Toothbrush

From December up until March of April, the cold and flu run rampant. You can avoid seasonal sniffles and other unpleasantness by taking a few simple precautions. For one, make sure that whatever toothbrush you use is yours alone. Sharing toothbrushes, particularly around the holiday time of the year, puts you at risk of sharing unwanted microscopic bacteria. If you’re having trouble keeping yours or a significant other’s toothbrush separate, considering facing the bristles of your toothbrush away from the other’s. And whether or not you’ve already come down with a cold, it’s good practice to swap out your toothbrush in any case about every three months. Replacing your toothbrush on a regular basis is a good idea for several reasons. Eventually your toothbrush becomes less effective the more its bristles become worn out. And as we’ve already mentioned, toothbrushes tend to pick up bacteria over time. Replacing your toothbrush ensures that your bristles are free from bacteria and working as effectively as possible.

Quit Smoking for Good

It’s always a good time to stop smoking tobacco products. Tobacco increases the risk of oral cancer and gum disease. The holiday season can prove especially challenging for current smokers, with added pressure during holiday parties and gatherings making tobacco even more appealing to smokers. What’s worse, even diligent tooth brushers and flossers will struggle to maintain healthy gums and overall oral hygiene. Luckily, quitting smoking comes with a whole range of benefits. Reduced smokers are at a reduced risk for many types of cancer, digestive problems and complications, and heart disease.

Remember to Schedule Your Holiday Appointment with Smiles for Centreville

Smiles for Centreville always encourages our patients to meet with us regularly. Regular dental appointments, together with healthy eating and home oral care, is a certain path toward excellent oral hygiene. Unfortunately, many people claim to be too busy during the holiday season to come in for a visit with their dentist. But in fact, the holiday season and the end of the year are some of the best times for you to visit your dental professional.

Smiles for Centreville hopes that you have found these oral tips helpful as you make your way into the holiday season. It’s important to remember that regular visits with your dental professional is the easiest and most effective way of keeping track of your oral health. If you live in or near Centreville, VA area and are ready to make a change in your dental experience, call Smiles for Centreville now to schedule your next appointment for the holiday season.