The holiday season is the sweetest time of year, filled with endless opportunities to indulge in your favorite festive treats. It’s true that consuming sugar increases the risk of tooth decay, but you don’t need to choose between the dessert table and your oral health this season.
To make it through the holidays without letting your sweet tooth compromise your smile, turn to Moskin Dental Associates, where Kimberly Chan, DDS, and Jeannie Moskin, DDS, provide expert guidance and care. Here are our top five tips for protecting your teeth from the cavity-causing effects of sugar.
Destructive bacteria feed on the sugar you eat, producing acids that attack and weaken your enamel. While your saliva works to naturally neutralize acid and repair enamel, constantly snacking on sweets can impede this recovery process and accelerate decay.
To protect your teeth, limit sugary treats to main meal times rather than grazing throughout the day. Consuming sweets after other foods ensures maximum saliva flow, which helps wash away debris and prevent excess acidity.
Holiday events and gatherings almost always include a variety of sugary or acidic beverages like soda, eggnog, cider, and wine. Just like constant snacking, taking frequent sips of sweetened drinks lowers the pH level of your mouth, leaving your enamel vulnerable to erosion.
This holiday season, make plain water your drink of choice — or at least keep a glass handy to rinse your mouth after consuming high-sugar or high-acid foods and beverages. Drinking plenty of water supports saliva production and dilutes acid to restore a safe, neutral pH balance.
Travel, family visits, and late-night celebrations may throw off your usual schedule, but don’t let that interfere with your oral hygiene routine. Consistent brushing and flossing is your No. 1 defense against plaque buildup and tooth decay.
While grabbing your toothbrush immediately might sound like a good idea, brushing too soon after eating sugary or acidic foods can worsen erosion. Wait 30-60 minutes after eating to allow saliva to neutralize acids and strengthen enamel.
Sticky sweets and hard candies are particularly damaging because they linger on your teeth, feeding acid-producing bacteria for extended periods of time. Hard candy also increases the risk of a chipped, cracked, or broken tooth that requires emergency dental attention.
For a satisfying crunch that supports your oral health, snack on raw, fibrous vegetables like carrots and celery, which help scrub the surfaces of your teeth and stimulate saliva. If you’re craving something sweet, choose fresh fruits, dark chocolate, or products made with xylitol, a sugar substitute that helps prevent cavities.
The hectic nature of the holiday season causes many patients to overlook minor dental issues, such as a dull ache, a small chip, or a sudden sensitivity to hot and cold. However, ignoring these early warning signs could result in an infection or a costly dental emergency down the line.
If you’re experiencing pain or notice damage to your teeth, don’t wait until the new year to seek treatment. Schedule an appointment at Moskin Dental Associates and give yourself the gift of healthy teeth and gums this holiday season.
