Festive Tips From Crown House Dental In Egham

Christmas comes around so quickly doesn't it? Summer ends and before you know it, you're writing Christmas gift lists, accepting invitations to events and pondering your Christmas decoration arrangement this year.

Between your decisions over standard pine and Nordic spruce, Christmas brings a lot of reasons for smiling. Parties, gifts, social events, family events, Christmas movies, and of course the food and drink.

The problem is, although this season brings lots of smiling, it is also a very risky season for your oral health. Many patients come into our Egham clinic in January with issues that have unfortunately come from, or been exacerbated by the party season. Even worse, emergency visits occur over Christmas and the festivities can be ruined because of problems that occur.

Don't fret though, with some caution and awareness, your smile can stay beautiful and healthy over Christmas.

Top Tips To Help Your Smile Stay Healthy And Beautiful Over Christmas

TIP - Don't Use Your Teeth As A Tool

When you're relaxing back and you want to crack a nut, or open a bottle of beer, it might seem more tempting to use your teeth than to get up and get the appropriate tool, especially if you are full of Christmas dinner! The problem is, your teeth, although strong, are not designed for this kind of thing and using your teeth as a tool is a really bad idea. Cracked teeth happen regularly at Christmas because of this type of reckless activity. It is also important to mention that it is incredibly dangerous to ever attempt opening a bottle using your teeth as the carbonated bottle can shoot the cap out into your mouth or throat leading to a nasty injury. Do always reach for the appropriate tool, which is never your teeth!

TIP - Too Many Mince Pies Is Bad News!

These sugar laden Christmas treats are tempting but can be problematic if eaten in excess. Unlike Christmas pudding or cake which tends to only be consumed once at mealtimes over the season, mince pies are everywhere. Work is handing them out, there are endless mince pies on tap at home, and they are free with coffee in every establishment you visit. The same goes for those giant tins of chocolates, and sweeties and everything else sugary and delicious. Of course you're going to have a mince pie or two, or the odd chocolate offered from the tin. But do try to refrain when you can because the high amount of sugar can contribute to tooth decay which won't be such a merry surprise come 2019.

TIP - Stick To Your Routine

All year round you have been brushing for two minutes, twice a day, with the right toothpaste and toothbrush, and you've been attending your Egham hygienist and dental visits too. Don't throw out all your hard work just because it is Christmas. Though a few lie-ins, late night parties and free-flowing food and drink can make you throw caution to the wind, your routine is really what is helping your smile stay healthy throughout these challenges. Keep on top of your routine so that at the very least your smile is getting cared for as much as is possible over Christmas.

TIP - Veer Towards Healthier Options At Buffets And Parties

There are endless delicious foods on offer throughout Christmas and you can't just avoid all of it of course. But there are options that are slightly better for you that you could opt for to feel a little more angelic during the party season. Cheese boards for example, are aplenty and cheese is a very good source of calcium for your teeth and the rest of your body. Crunchy vegetable crudites for dips are also a great choice as they naturally clean away debris from your teeth as you chew them. With drinks, darker choices like red wine or whisky are a teeth stain risk, so opt for clearer drinks that are lower in sugar if possible. The worst drinks and food are high sugar, high acid and/or high starch.

TIP - Slow Down On Those Cigarettes

You might be putting off quitting smoking until next year for your New Year's resolution, but can you cut down during party season? Smokers tend to smoke more at Christmas because of the social situations and pairing drinks with a cigarette. This can stain your teeth and actually make quitting harder. If you aren't ready to quit yet, do try and limit your smoking at parties and events so you're not actually increasing your cigarette consumption over the season.

TIP - Eat Treats At Mealtimes

When you consume treats regularly throughout the day your teeth are getting constantly attacked by the sugar and acid. If you only eat your mince pie or your chocolates with meals, you limit the amount of sugar and acid attacking the teeth to one segment of time. So do try and eat anything naughty as your mealtime dessert and try to abstain the rest of the time if you can.

Need A Little Help Brightening Your Teeth For Christmas?

If you are being good and caring for your teeth as you should be, but you still feel they could do with a little brightening, let us help. We have a wide range of cosmetic dentistry treatments to help freshen the look of the teeth, from a deep clean by our great hygienist, to the ever popular teeth whitening treatment we offer. We have more substantial treatments too, like veneers and adult teeth straightening, which could be the perfect Christmas gift to yourself to go into 2019 with the smile you've always dreamed of. Please call our friendly reception on 01784 432 641 for more information or to book an appointment. We are here to help you have the beautiful, healthy smile you want for Christmas, and for all of the other 364 days too!