To ensure your teeth get the best present of all time this Christmas season, then stick to these simple top five dental health tips and keep your teeth in healthy condition even beyond the season.
It would not be nice to have dental emergencies during this period, it would not be nice starting the year 2018 with dental emergencies. Tooth decay and gum disease can be prevented if you don’t forget these tips that can help you maintain good oral hygiene practices especially at this season..
- BRUSH YOUR TEETH TWICE A DAY THIS SEASON & ALWAYS
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This is to ensure that you do not go about with dirty unpleasant teeth in this season.
Brush before you go to bed at night no matter how tired you may be and also brush at any other time during the day. The whole idea of tooth brushing is to ensure that we do not have any food debris in your mouth which can cause gum disease, discolouration of the teeth and mouth odour that can affect your fun at picnics and other gatherings of the season.
Carry along a fluoridated toothpaste in your luggage if you are travelling, a soft to medium toothbrush is a complement to that and enjoy a fresh breath throughout the season.
- EAT SOFT FOODS & NOT HARD FOODS
This is to ensure that you do not strain your teeth in this season of merriment. In your own interest, do not crush that chicken bone, tear the flesh from it, lick it, suck it and throw the remnant away, no matter how tempting. Many people have suddenly become dental patients from neglect of this simple advice.
We can all confess to attempting to open a bottle of drink with our teeth at some point in our lives. Although you can’t legislate for genuine accidents, please remember your teeth aren’t tools. If your party trick is to open a bottled drink with your teeth, you’re actually doing your teeth more harm than good.
Use the bottle opener and not your teeth to open that bottle cap/crown/cover, it does not show you are an expert in anyway. Respect the teeth and care for it. Remember tooth fracture or crack doesn’t happen to those who are doing it for the first time, it is usually those who are used to it that becomes victim in the long run
- LIMIT YOUR SUGAR & CITRUS INTAKE
Constant snacking, drinking and eating of sugary foods and drinks in this season of Christmas can make the holiday period a miserable time for the teeth. The indulgences and tempting treats on Christmas Day and Boxing Day in particular means that teeth are going to be under serious acid attack. Foods that contain refined sugars of any kind can contribute to tooth decay. Common sources of sugar in Nigeria include soft drinks, juice, candy, cookies and pastries. While these hard candies seem harmless, don’t eat too many because the constant exposure to sugar can be harmful to your teeth.
Hard candies also put your teeth at risk because in addition to being full of sugar, they can also trigger a dental emergency such as a cracked/ broken or chipped tooth. Chew sugarless gum or look for substitutes like fruits and water
Limit the quantity of snacks you eat and if you must snack, choose fruits or vegetables and plain water. Foods that are eaten as part of a meal cause less harm to teeth because more saliva is released during that period as compared to those taken in-between meal throughout the day. Saliva performs cleansing function in the mouth and lessens the effects of acids which dissolves the teeth
- LET DENTAL FLOSS BE YOUR COMPANION THIS SEASON & BEYOND
Flossing reaches the places a toothbrush can’t, and it removes from between your teeth the food particles and bacteria that get trapped before they develop into plaque and tartar.
Bad breath can be a common and embarrassing problem to have, but regular flossing can significantly improve it.
Cavities occur when all the bacteria, food particles, acids and saliva in your mouth come together to become plaque. The acids in plaque eat away at your teeth and can cause symptoms such as visible holes, toothaches, hot or cold sensitivity and pain when chewing.
By not flossing, the plaque between your teeth can form cavities in hard-to-notice places, which can progress to the point where the hole reaches the pulp (innermost part of the tooth) and causes extreme pain. So,this is your season to enjoy the meat with dental floss at your reach.
- KEEP A DATE WITH YOUR DENTIST
DENTAL CHANNEL NG ENCOURAGES PATIENTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING POST-CHRISTMAS TOOTHACHE TO VISIT A DENTAL CLINIC ACCESSIBLE TO THEM.
Everyone feels satisfied after Christmas day, we visit friends and consume some delicious meal; friends visit us and we devour all kinds of food, there is left over food in the fridge, you are surrounded by family and your stomach has never felt so full.
However, if you begin to feel tooth sensitivities with shocking sensations or toothaches after your Christmas binge, it is time to consider a visit to your dentist. If your tooth is feeling overly sensitive or experiencing a painful toothache then that might be a sign of a deeper problem.
Unless you had a pre-Christmas dental health check-up, you may not be aware of the health and state of your teeth but by making an appointment, we can assess whether your toothache is anything to worry about or whether you will require dental intervention.