The holidays can be rough on daily dental and oral care habits. Especially more so since the our municpal water supply no longer adds Fluoride to our drinking water to protect our teeth!  Frequent parties and snacking can constantly expose teeth to sugar and cavity-causing bacterial acids. Out-of-town travels and overnight stays at the homes of friends and family can cause us to neglect our oral hygiene. Flossing, what flossing?
However, just because the holidays are here does not mean that one should give up on proper dental and oral hygiene. With some forethought and planning, the fun and festivities of the holidays can still be enjoyed without neglecting one’s gums and teeth. Here are five tips for a realistic dental care plan during the holiday season:

1.Always bring a toothbrush and don’t leave home without it. Whenever traveling to a friend’s or family member’s home for a meal, don’t forget to pack a spare toothbrush, toothpaste, and roll of floss. Make sure to pack enough dental supplies should the meal extend into an overnight stay or even longer. 

2.Don’t delay brushing/flossing. When festivities carry on for many hours and include multiple courses, it is easy to put off or neglect one’s dental care. However, once the main course is finished and dessert has been served, it is a good time to excuse oneself and go brush and floss. Even if the evening continues with drinks, the excessive sugars and acids that can damage teeth have been mostly cleared out of the mouth. Picking up a Fluoride rinse mouthwash to be usued daily is also a great idea to supplement the missing Fluoride in our water supply.

3.Don’t over-indulge in sweet cocktails and drinks. Not only can excessively sweet drinks cause weight gain, but they can also result in tooth decay.

Should an emergency arise please contact us on our emergency voicemails at 
(519) 980-4073 and (519) 919-2545.
Be sure to leave your name, phone number, the time you called, and the nauture of your emergency. We will call you at our first convenience. 

5.Don’t put off dental work until after the holidays. It is tempting to put off dental treatment like fillings and cleanings until after the holidays are over. However, doing so may make current dental issues worse. Likewise, it may lead to unnecessary toothaches during the time when one is supposed to be relaxing and having fun. Even if there are only a few days left until the big winter break, it is wise to take care of business first, so that there are no painful episodes later. 

By following these five tips, one will not be neglecting vital dental and oral care during the holiday season. This is important because much of the holiday season enjoyment depends on having good dental health. After all, smiling for photos, and tasting different holidays foods, would be difficult without healthy teeth and gums!

Dr. Zeljko Veselinovic, Dr. Jerri Ann Buxton, and the staff of Amherstburg Dental Family Dentistry would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season. We look forward to serving you in the new year with all your dental needs. 

Call us at (519) 736-4073 for an appointment today.

Regards,

Dr. Zeljko