Now, we’re not one to kill your festive cheer or put a dampener on the incoming Christmas party season, but it would seem putting on a few pounds throughout the month of December could be the least of your worries.
With so many chocolates, high sugar drinks and high sugar bubbly to tempt you every where you turn, you need to spare a thought for the effect on your teeth and gums so the new year brings a positive and healthy start, not just aesthetically but internally too. We don’t want you stay away from your favourite treats, just to be aware of how to minimise the potential damage.
The issue isn’t the amount of sugar we expose our teeth too, its how often, so there is some good news! Constant grazing on high sugar food is never a good idea, so eating your chocolate all at once will be welcome news to the chocoholics amongst us!
Recent figures show that in the two weeks leading up to Christmas, Brits spend an astonishing £52.8 million on chocolate alone. In total, the UK spends an estimated £256 million on confectionery during the holidays. A medium-sized selection box contains a whopping 81 grams of sugar. This equates to 270% of adults’ recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 30g. Other major culprits are Christmas pudding and the Yuletide log, with the average servings containing 139% and 43% of your sugar RDA, respectively.
There are also hidden sugars in most alcoholic drinks, high in sugar is Prosecco and champagne but also in fruit juices, a suggestion would be to drink water as well, this will not only help your teeth but your potential hangover!
So how can we reduce risk? We all know that brushing our teeth twice a day is recommended but be careful to not let that slip with the busy, festive days. Flossing is also a must-unlike a toothbrush, which cleans the tops and outer surfaces of the teeth and gums, floss is an inter dental cleaner– it’s designed specifically to clean the tight spaces between the teeth and the gap between the base of the teeth and the gums. These are places that a toothbrush can’t reach.
We bring good news for all your cheese lovers! Cheese is great for your teeth. Not only does it have high levels of phosphate and calcium, which naturally strengthen teeth and bones, but it also helps balance the pH level in your mouth, which means less harmful acid, more cleansing saliva and fewer cavities. So reaching for that cheeseboard could be a better option than the selection box this year.
You could always ask Santa for an electric toothbrush If you feel that you could improve your daily brushing. The cleaning experience is more powerful and more thorough, the bristles getting deeper between the teeth and removing more plaque, meaning less fillings and healthier gums.
Above all, indulge and enjoy your festive break with loved ones, but keep your dental hygiene routine intact, and look forward to 2020 with healthy teeth and gums.
For more information on your oral health please contact us here.
