Dental Tips During The Holidays

Happy Holidays from Lovda Family Dental!

The holidays are notorious for sweet indulgences and acidic beverages that can turn a joyous holiday season into a painful dental emergency.  Fortunately, we at Lovda Family Dental have come up with some tips to protect your oral health throughout the festive holiday season.

1. Remember to drink water after enjoying champagne or sparkling wine.  We can help return the gums and teeth to a normal balance If we drink water immediately after consuming sugary beverages.  Also remember, purified water is much healthier than flavored, “enhanced” bubbly water.
2. Chewing gum is a great way to help clean the tooth surfaces after meals.  If done in moderation, chewing gum does not cause temporal-mandibular disorder, also known as TMD.  In fact, chewing gum helps the body remove remaining food particles and sugar off the surface of teeth, preventing tooth decay.  Xylitol-based chewing gum has been known to increase salivary production, a crucial part of maintaining a healthy smile.
3. Enjoy the sweats in moderation.  Dental decay is notorious for occurring during the holidays due to the presence of so many sugary treats.  While saliva does help clear sugar from tooth surfaces, frequent indulgences can easily overwhelm our ability to prevent tooth decay from occurring.
4. Brush your teeth!  This is obvious, but frequently overlooked when the stresses of the holidays slowly creep up.  Coffee, sugar, red wine, and carbonated beverages are all causes of dental decay, and can lead to tooth pain or fracture.  Once a tooth is fractured, dental implants are highly recommended to restore a healthy smile.
5. Do not chew ice!  This is frequently overlooked cause of cracked and broken teeth.  Ice is incredibly hard and when chewed, can put an enormous amount of force on the surfaces of teeth and cause fractures.  Again, once teeth are broken, dental implants are primary method for replacing teeth.

CONTACT US!

With the holidays upon us, contact our Hoffman Estates, IL office to schedule a check-up with our team at Lovda Family Dental!

Happy Holidays!