About

With the holidays right around the corner, lots of fun things are about to happen for most Americans.  Many will be invited to holiday parties at work or with their significant other, and many others will end up spending time with family and friends.  What inevitably will happen is that most Americans will end up eating and drinking more than normal.  With the many different holidays happening, most will end up eating mroe seasonal sweets and treats.  This means that for many Americans their teeth are going to be attacked much more than any other time of the year.  This could mean higher dental bills because of complications brought on by the excess sugar and acidic drinks and treats that are consumed.  So that is why I wanted to map out some of the best practices for dental hygiene during this time of year.  Since many people may need to increase their regular routine to combat the plaque buildings and tarter creating holiday season.

 

The first thing to do is to check and make sure that you are following good practices in general.  The majority of Americans actually only brush their teeth once a day.  We have been told to do it more than that, but when it comes to an average work week and when things get busy, one brushing is what actually happens.  And the usual amount of time spent on those brushings is about 30 seconds.  That means that not only are Americans doing half the work but they are spending 1/4 of the time on their teeth that they should on top of that.  Already if this sounds like you, think about making a new habit for the next few months.  This could be the difference between new cavities and healthy teeth.

 

That is why you need to follow the ADA's recommendation of getting two brushings in per day and spending at least 2 minutes on each brushing.  That is a big deal and can really cut back on lots of dental issues by simply keeping your mouth clean.  I highly suggest making this a habit.  If you struggle with it use your cell phone to set an alarm for the brushing during the day you are missing.  It is pretty simple and set it to happen every day for 30 days.  If you stick to it by the end you should bein a true habit and can keep it up through the holidays!

 

Now one area that I find hard to follow is to make sure you are staying hydrated during these times of extra indulgence.  If you are able to drink water and do so right after eating or drinking bad things you can increase your dental health.  Simply put you are rinsing the bad plaque-causing stuff away.  This allows you to fight the plaqe and possible tooth decaying substances right away and it also helps you to build up your bodies natural mouthwash, saliva.  If you stay hydrated your body will continue to produce the right amount of saliva on average and it will keep cleaning your mouth as well.   So by taking a drink of water or after a glass of your favorite beverage switching to a glass of water can keep you in tip top shape.  So be safe and have fun this holiday.