5 Ways to Protect Your Teeth This Christmas

The Christmas season is well and truly here, and wherever you turn, there are festive treats that are hard to resist. From toffees to sweets, chocolate, and sugary or alcoholic drinks, it’s an indulgent time.

Protecting your teeth from the effects of all the extra sugar is essential, and our top five tips for oral care during the holiday season will help you do just that.

01

Use a Bottle Opener

You probably think using a bottle opener is common sense, but during the festive season, teeth seem to be the go-to for opening nuts and chips, even bottles and Christmas present labels. While your teeth are tough, using them to open items is likely to chip, break, or weaken your teeth and cause long-term damage.

Having a bottle opener, swiss knife, or scissors on hand can mean the difference between enjoying the holiday season and needing dental care.

02

Be a Boss & Floss

When you floss and brush your teeth regularly, you cover all surfaces and the spaces between your teeth. Even though it’s something you should do every day, it’s essential to clean between your teeth during the festive season, especially if you’re going from one celebration to another. If left, the build-up of sugary foods and drinks could cause cavities.

Carry a small floss container in your pocket, bag, or glove box in your car for quick care of your teeth.

03

Be Savvy About Sugar

It’s tempting to indulge in sweets, desserts, and sugary treats that you wouldn’t normally eat as part of your regular diet. Instead of trying to stay away from sugar completely, we suggest eating treats in moderation and following these simple rules:

Try to avoid eating sugar just before heading to bed.
Don’t eat sugar or other food for at least an hour after brushing your teeth.
Limit any hard-boiled or chewy sweets.

04

Keep Up With Your Oral Health Routine

Taking a break over Christmas and New Year’s doesn’t mean letting your oral hygiene slip. During this time, you want to take more care with brushing and flossing, given that it’s a time of indulgence.

No one wants to start the new year needing an emergency dentist visit. Whether you’re travelling overseas, locally, or interstate—whether staying with family, camping, or luxuriating at a 5-star hotel—brushing at least twice daily and flossing should continue as part of your daily routine.

If you’re jumping from one Christmas celebration to another, keep a travel-size toothbrush and toothpaste in your bag to freshen up between engagements. When travelling, swap your electric toothbrush for a manual one, which takes up less room in your luggage.

05

Be Careful During Christmas Contact Sports

Do you have a competitive family where you have an annual cricket or football match? Are the children being given contact sports equipment for Christmas? While group activities at a family gathering are one of the best parts of the holiday season, we often see injuries to teeth, jaws, and gums from enthusiastic contact games and sports.

To minimise the risk, we recommend getting a mouthguard fitted for proper protection rather than needing emergency dentistry for a knocked-out tooth or injury. If an adult tooth does get knocked out, seek dental care as soon as possible because, if seen quickly enough, it may be able to be reinserted into the socket.

You mustn’t wash the tooth, and don’t touch the roots. You can store the tooth in milk or saliva from your cheek.

Bonus Tip: Don’t Forget to Drink Water

When celebrating with family and friends, it can be tempting to drink soft drinks, wine, and maybe a glass of champagne or two—and that’s on top of acidic foods. Water is the best way to neutralise the acids in your mouth. It rinses acids away, so you’re not only quenching your thirst but also protecting your teeth.

Choose the Smile Designer for After Christmas Dental Care

The best dental care begins with you! It’s about enjoying the holiday season while making choices that keep your teeth looking and feeling their best. You can enjoy the celebrations, festive food, and drinks while also taking care of your teeth without doing any damage.

Contact our family dental clinic for affordable dental care. Call us at 03 9034 5949 or book online to start your smile journey with The Smile Designer Dental Studio after the holiday season.