Do you have holiday parties coming up? If so, it’s best to keep your smile in mind while you mingle with friends and family and eat delicious holiday treats. To help you keep a strong and successful oral health while you celebrate the holidays, our E. P. True Dental - West Des Moines, IA team encourages you to do the following things:
-Eat healthy holiday snacks: As you may already know, sugary and starchy snacks are harmful to your smile. This is why we encourage you to take care of your teeth and gums by eating tooth-healthy foods, like carrots, celery, and hard cheeses. For a different snack, you can also chew on some garnish.
-Be smart with your beverage choice: There are many drinks that can threaten your oral health and even stain your smile. Those drinks are soda, black tea, coffee and red and white wine. So, it’s best to avoid drinking these beverages altogether. If you can’t, make sure to wash the liquid away with water. The best drinks to consume are water and green tea. Water can wash the foul-smelling and harmful bacteria away and green tea can suppress the growth of bacteria in your mouth.
-Use quick party freshen-ups: Sometimes mouthwashes and breath fresheners can make matters worse, especially because of their high alcohol content. For an emergency freshen-up, try rinsing your mouth with a mixture of water and a few drops of peppermint oil. You can also chew a piece of sugarless gum or suck on a piece of sugarless candy. These things will help promote saliva flow and wash bacteria away.
Doing these things will help you maintain a healthy smile and a strong oral health during your holiday parties. For more information and details about how to have a healthy holiday smile in West Des Moines, Iowa, please call our office today at (515) 224-9899 and talk to your dentist, Dr. Pete Olberding, or a member of our dental team. We are happy to give you the tips you’re looking for so you can have a successful holiday season!