The holidays are upon us and with this time of year comes the holiday parties and gatherings with friends and family. From potluck parties to gatherings in homes and restaurants, you will be presented with numerous opportunities to delight your taste buds while you enjoy good company.
Here are a few tips for enjoying the holidays without compromising your beautiful smile and the health of your teeth and gums.
- Eat a Balance of Healthy Foods
The holidays will surely bring lots of opportunity to feast with friends and family, balancing the healthy options with the sweet desserts is good for both your dental health and your waistline.
Seek out the crunchy carrot sticks and other fresh veggies. Start with those healthy choices. Starting your event with whole grains and veggies are great options for keeping your dietary splurge to a minimum.
- Find Alternatives
The hard candy cane, sticky toffee, or gummy candy treat may be enticing, but think about your expensive dental fillings or your braces that could be compromised by these choices.
Find instead those healthy nuts or crispy vegetables. It would be better to dip those veggies in a rich dip than pay for repair work on your fillings or braces.
- Drink Plenty of Water
There are lots of good reasons to drink plenty of water, beyond dental health. Water keeps your body properly hydrated, aids in digestion, and helps keep your hunger at bay. In addition to keeping your skin looking fresh, it has the benefit of rinsing away bacteria in the mouth.
- Stick to or Improve Upon your Oral Health Routine
During the holidays, your normal schedule will likely be disrupted. Don’t let that disrupt your oral care routine. Stick to your regime and improve upon it, especially if you are eating just a little be more sweets than you normally would
- Schedule Your Routine Checkup & Cleaning
If you are like most of us, the holiday seems to sneak up suddenly and we run frantically in many directions from decoration and shopping to food preparation and entertaining. You may have neglected to schedule your next dental checkup, or worse, you may have cancelled it because you’re so busy.
Take 5 minutes to schedule your appointment AFTER the holiday, so you don’t have to worry about it, and you can rest assured that you will be on track for the new year.
Enjoy the Holidays and Plan for a Great New Year!
The holidays are a wonderful time of year for celebrating and enjoying our family and friends. Focus more on enjoying the company than on the not-so-good-for-you foods. With just a little planning on your part, you can look forward to starting the New Year with good health, including your dental health.
Nothing is more valuable than your health. Maintain your dental health with a caring dentist at Smile Designer.