Many of us celebrating the festive season will be overdosing on christmas cake,toffees, chocolate and fizzy drinks, but what many of us don’t realise is that the risk of future tooth decay we face is highly likely. This is because of the high sugar content in all of our favourite party foods and treats.
At Christmas time nearly all of us eat more sugary snacks and a lot more frequently than at any other time of the year. The continuous dosage we indulge in means the teeth are under constant attack and the saliva in our mouths does not get a chance to neutralise the acid from the sugar leading to the start of tooth decay for many of us.
Some tips to prevent tooth decay while enjoying the festive period can be found below:
* Try and eat most of the sweet snacks in one sitting rather than continually grazing on them throughouut the day
*Eat some cheese or dairy products immediatley after the snacks or fizzy drinks as this will neautralise acid and maintain the normal Ph level in the mouth
* Keep fizzy drinks to a minimum try opting for diluted or sugar free drinks as much as possible
*Savoury snacks have less sugar content meaning they are less harmful to the teeth ie. crisps,nuts,crackers and breadsticks
*Be vigilant when it comes to cleaning the teeth and make more of an effort to use interdental aids ie. floss and teepee brushes as there will be less food stagnaing inbetween the teeth for long periods of the day
*Dont brush the teeth immediatley after snacking, leave it up to 30 minutes to allow the saliva to carryout the natural remineralsition process.
All of the staff at Creative Smiles would like to wish their patients a very Happy Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!