Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI
The holiday season brings festive lights that sparkle in the night. Your smile could shine bright when you properly care for your oral health. Whether you stay at home in your pajamas or travel to see loved ones, it’s crucial to practice preventive dental care. Our Royal Oak family dentist, Dr. Nancy Hartrick, shares on the blog today several tips for a sparkling smile this holiday so you can show your pearly whites and feel confident when taking photos.
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Make Water Your Beverage of Choice
Family gatherings and parties with coworkers or friends around the holidays are often accompanied by alcoholic beverages, like red wine that can stain your tooth enamel or cocktails with highly acidic juices. Although it can be challenging to avoid a glass of wine, our Royal Oak cosmetic dentist recommends drinking water instead to reduce your tooth staining risk. Additionally, other alcoholic beverages, juices, sodas, and energy drinks contain high sugar amounts that can increase bacterial activity, which may result in cavities or gum disease. Therefore, make water your beverage of choice this holiday season for superior oral health. Not to say that you shouldn’t enjoy sweets or an adult beverage occasionally, but just be sure not to allow sugary or acidic foods and beverages to remain on your teeth for prolonged periods. Sipping water throughout the day can help eliminate sugar from your teeth, although daily brushing and flossing are still necessary.
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Practice Regular Oral Health Care
The easiest way to prevent most advanced oral health conditions is to establish a daily routine that includes brushing twice a day and flossing once daily. Even though you may have stellar skills at brushing and flossing your teeth, everyone develops tartar buildup, even dentists! Therefore, our family dentist in Royal Oak recommends scheduling an appointment with our office for a checkup and cleaning every six months so that we can monitor your oral health and stop advanced conditions from developing.
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Exercise Self Restraint with Sweets
Aunt Maggie’s holiday cake and uncle Joe’s festive homemade candies may look delicious, and it can be tempting to eat every single one. Sadly, sugar and carbohydrates fuel harmful bacteria and promote activity that may result in dental damage. Our family dentist in Royal Oak explains that when you reduce sugar consumption from foods or beverages, you can better protect your oral health. Instead, reach for apples or other fresh fruits to satisfy your sweet tooth.
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Chew Sugarless Gum After Meals
After a meal, bacteria are at their most active. Cavities can develop because of the acids released by oral bacteria, which eat away at tooth enamel. However, saliva naturally helps rinse away residual food particles, bacteria, and acids, although brushing and flossing are still needed. Unfortunately, saliva production may slow as you age or experience unwanted side effects from certain medications. By stimulating saliva production while chewing sugarless gum, you can aid in self-cleansing and mineral replacement in your mouth that’s lost because of enamel erosion.
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Consider Cosmetic Dental Solutions
Your smile can be healthy but not have that special sparkle you desire. On the other hand, you could have some other minor cosmetic flaws that need treatment to restore your smile. Our cosmetic dentist in Royal Oak offers multiple options to transform your smile into one that shines. For example, Dr. Hartrick offers dental bonding, veneers, crowns, teeth whitening, dental implants, and Invisalign clear aligner treatment. So, no matter your cosmetic concern, you’re in good hands at Hartrick Dentistry.
Family Dentist in Royal Oak and Birmingham, Michigan
Flashing a beautiful smile throughout the holiday season may take a little bit of effort, but the perfect photos and unforgettable memories are worth every bit of it. Taking care of your oral health can protect your overall health and wellness. Therefore, we encourage you to schedule an appointment at our Royal Oak dental office for a checkup and cleaning to make sure your smile is ready for the holidays. Call Hartrick Dentistry at (248) 549-0950 or contact us online to schedule your preventive care appointment today.