How to Protect Your Teeth This Holiday Season
The holiday season is upon us and it’s time for everyone to enjoy themselves and take a moment to relax after such an unpredictable year. The festive period generally comes with increased snacking and a higher frequency of fizzy drinks or alcoholic beverages being consumed. From an oral hygiene perspective these increases need to be managed correctly so you can still enjoy all your favourite things and more importantly still protect your teeth.
How does the holiday season affect my oral health?
The critical PH level for the mouths oral environment is below 5.5PH. When your PH level falls below 5.5 teeth can start to demineralise and this puts them at a higher risk for tooth decay.
It takes roughly 30-40 minutes for saliva to neutralise the PH balance in the mouth which means an increase in your snacking frequency results in your teeth remaining in this ‘’critical zone’’ for a longer period of time and the demineralisation process continues.
Tips for mitigating oral decline over the break
- This does not mean snacking has to cease completely. We recommend eating your snack in one sitting to minimise the amount of time your mouths PH is in the ‘’critical zone’’.
- Choose healthy snacks that contain no-sugar and limit chocolates or sweets to a minimum.
- Drinking water after you have finished eating will help to cleanse the mouth and return your PH back to the safe zone.
- Be mindful of the amount of sugary drinks you and your family are consuming over the holiday period. Drinking these acidic drinks cause acid attacks on the teeth and could result in issues such as decay, erosion and wear.
Remember- everything in moderation. It is important to remember that after having an acidic drink, snack or meal not to brush your teeth even if they feel ‘fury’ (we know this can be tempting!) as your teeth will be in a state of demineralisation and the enamel is weakened.
Brushing your teeth when they are in this state can result in wear of the enamel. Always wait 30 minutes after eating or drinking before you brush your teeth and for those who simply cannot wait this long a fluoride mouth rinse is a good alternative to ‘’refresh’’ the mouth immediately.
Our oral hygiene practices during the Christmas period can slip as we are out of our usual routine or away on holidays. It is imperative to maintain good oral health during this time to keep our mouths healthy. A great way to prepare is to have a scale and polish prior to the Christmas break.
Not sure what happens during one of our scale and polish treatments? Learn more on our blog.
This will allow you to establish a clean environment and you can discuss with our Hygienist any concerns you may have and ask for tips to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
If you would like to schedule a scale & polish with our Hygienist before the Christmas break phone our office on 1300 625 625 to arrange your next appointment.
