The festive season is upon us and that usually means extra puddings, glasses of wine, unannounced visitors and endless treats. If we aren’t careful, these indulgences could see us visiting the dentist sooner than expected! Much of the food and drinks we enjoy in the festive season has high levels of sugar and starch, which can cause tooth decay. The risk we take with the increased consumption of these foods and beverages is that we don’t allow enough time in between for our teeth to recover.

As your Local Redcliffe Dentist knows, the increased consumption of starchy and sweet items reduces the ability of our saliva to clean away food particles or rebalance the natural acid levels in our mouths.

Here are some tips for maintaining healthy teeth and mouths this festive season –

Drink water or sugar free drinks to rinse your mouth after eating.  Water can help your mouth to recover from alcohol consumption  and cleaning your teeth from sugar and food residue. You can offer different water alternatives to your guests and family by adding slices of lemon, slices of cucumber or peppermint leaves. These will keep you hydrated and refreshed

Don’t forget to floss!

Drink sweetened or carbonated drinks with a straw – when drinking through a straw less of the sugary liquids will wash over the teeth and gums, which will be beneficial for your oral health in the long term.

Eat cheese and other dairy products as they help to restore the mouth’s natural acid balance and prevent tooth decay.  So, at the end of  each meal, why not eat some cheese and your teeth will be very grateful!

Avoid snacking constantly – your mouth needs a break from acidic and sugar attacks.

Change your toothbrushes regularly – remember, toothbrushes make great Christmas presents too!

So enjoy this festive season but remember to take care of your teeth.  Call your Local Redcliffe Dentists at John Street Dental to discuss your oral health on 07 3284 4281 or Book Online