Protect your Holiday Smile!

It’s that time of year where, nearly everywhere you go, you are surrounded by sweets and goodies. It is most likely that all of us, at one point or another, will succumb to the delicious treats we find, as we make our way through the holiday season. With that in mind, here are a few tips to protect your smile this holiday season!

1. Eat the Sweets All at Once! It might seem counterintuitive, but it’s better to eat the sugary treats all at once so that afterward you can rinse with water and let your mouth return to it’s normal state. If you graze on sweet treats throughout the day, your mouth never gets a break from the acidic environment that the sugar creates, and it can be very hard on your enamel. So, if you are going to eat some treats, eat them in one sitting and be done!

2. Don’t Use Your Teeth as Openers! This time of year, we tend to have a lot of packages and special treats to open. Sometimes cellophane, ribbons and other wrapping can be difficult to open. However, we warn you not to give in to the temptation to use your teeth! Use a scissors or some other tool to open those packages- you don’t want to risk breaking a tooth, especially this time of year.

3. Carry a ‘Tooth-Kit’ in Your Car! This time of year we keep things like emergency blankets and jumper cables in our cars, just in case. It’s a good idea to carry a travel size toothbrush, toothpaste and floss in your car with you also! This way, between parties or family visits, you can make sure your teeth are clean, and ready for your next social event. Keep that smile fresh!

One of Dr. Wilk’s favorite phrases is, “Everything in moderation”.

While, he does say this all of the time, it is especially true at this time of year. We don’t want you to feel like you can’t go have a sweet from the break room at work, BUT be sure not to graze all through the day, and be sure to DRINK WATER throughout the day! (Like you haven’t heard that before!) Last, but certainly not least, be sure to keep up with your oral hygiene routine at home - brush for 2 minutes, 2 times a day and floss once a day. Keep Smiling!

Holiday Party Tips

As the holiday season is rapidly approaching (two weeks until Thanksgiving!), it’s time to talk about how to keep your teeth in tip-top holiday shape! Regardless of whether you are out with friends, at home with your family or enjoying your holiday work party, enjoy these few tips from us to help your teeth stay healthy.

1. Choose light or clear beverages. Rather than a cola-based drink or a red wine, opt for a white wine or lighter color drink. This will help your teeth to stay whiter and brighter for the pictures that will, inevitably, follow. 

2. Find the Cheese! Almost every holiday party has a cheese tray. Not only does it taste great and help to tide you over until dinner, but the cheese will help to neutralize the pH level in your mouth while drinking acidic drinks like alcohol, soda or coffee. 

3. Schedule Your Post-Holiday Check-Up. The remainder of this year is going to fly by. We all know that. It’s better to schedule your first visit for 2019 now, so you don’t get caught up (as we all will) in the holiday festivities and forget to even make the call until after the New Year. Get your next preventative visit scheduled today!

And one more reminder: If you have insurance benefits remaining for 2018, you should try to use them now! Insurance benefits don’t usually carry over to the new year, so use them or lose them!