The holiday season is a time for sharing smiles and laughs with your loved ones. However, in all the hustle and bustle, it’s important to look after your own health—including your dental health. The guide below offers some oral hygiene tips for keeping your teeth bright this season.

5 Tips for Holiday Dental Care

1. Keep Up With Oral Hygiene

Traveling cross-country to friends’ or relatives’ houses can mess with one’s schedule, as can late-night celebrations. However, take time to brush and floss your teeth for two minutes twice a day. Consider bringing a small kit of travel-sized products with you everywhere you go—so that if you have a few spare moments in the airport terminal or at a party, you can quickly freshen up.

2. Don’t Use Your Teeth as Tools

While it might be tempting to rip open that Christmas present with your teeth, this action puts unnecessary strain on them. Similarly, you should not try to use your mouth to crack nuts. Instead, wait until you have the proper tools at your disposal.

3. Watch Your Sugar Intake

Be careful with how many sugary treats you enjoy during the holidays. While it is natural to want to indulge, the sugar will feed oral bacteria in your mouth. Certain sticky treats, like caramels, can be especially bad because they linger between your teeth. When you do consume them, try to rinse your mouth out with water afterward.

4. Improvise Oral Hygiene Solutions 

Can’t brush your teeth right away? Chewing a stick of sugarless gum after meals, for instance, increases saliva production, which helps rinse bacteria off the teeth. No toothbrush? No problem. You may be able to get a temporary one from the hotel’s front desk. If not, use a little toothpaste on a washcloth or your finger to scrub your teeth and pick up a new brush as soon as you can. 

5. Don’t Delay Treatment

If something goes wrong, like you lose a filling, have your dentist’s contact information on hand. They can advise you if waiting to have it treated will make it worse or not, so you can determine if you need local assistance. 

Before you head out for the holidays, take care of your teeth with a visit to the dentist. Allen S. Braumiller Jr. DDS, PC, and his team have been serving Coweta, OK, and the surrounding communities for more than three decades, offering comprehensive dental services, including preventative oral exams, fillings, and gum disease treatment. To schedule an appointment ahead of holiday travel, call (918) 486-6516. Visit their website for more on their capabilities.