Pinterest, a Holiday Survival Guide for Your Teeth

Scroll, pin, repeat; it’s not really a dangerous thing and it’s a lot of fun! With the holiday season gearing up, your Pinterest boards are probably loaded with new and amazing recipes that your friends and family are going to love. That’s why we love Pinterest because it makes us look good. The danger Pinterest poses to your teeth is due to the fact that you and your friends and family have about 8-9 weeks of feasting ahead of you, all trying to impress each other with your amazingly delicious dishes, and while that is exciting for you, it’s terrifying for your teeth!

Pinteresting Holiday Recipes

It isn’t just Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and New Years Eve that will demand your best baked, braised and basted foods, but all of the school parties, family get-togethers, friendly goodie drop-offs that you will both give and receive this holiday season. Tis the season to show off your Pinterest boards and if you didn’t have all of your favorite recipes cataloged with pictures in one easy place, you would be unprepared to face the coming festivities, so Pinterest is the hero here. We want to protect your teeth from collateral damage, so we’ve put together this short survival guide of tips to keep your smile safe this holiday season.

Protecting Your Teeth from Your Pinterest Boards

Your normal routine of brushing might not be enough to protect your teeth this season. In order to fight off the delicious onslaught we recommend you:

Wait for the Brushing Conditions

Brushing immediately after eating or drinking rich or sugary foods, drinks or treats can actually do more harm than good. Instead of brushing away plaque causing residue you could be scouring your teeth with acid and bacteria, doing additional damage to your enamel and gums. It’s best to wait 30 minutes after your meal or snack, and drink lots of water to neutralize the acids building up in your mouth. When you brush, be sure to brush for 3 minutes, pay close attention to your gum-line and floss or irrigate (Water-Pik) each time you brush. Brushing should be done 2-3 times each day for you and each member of your family.

Limit Sweet and Colored Drinks

Everyone know the effect that alcoholic drinks, like wine, can have on your teeth, but tend to discount the effect of sodas, eggnog, juices and other sugary drinks. Teeth don’t like sugar-baths, your tongue might, but your teeth don’t! Sugar reacts with the acids and bacteria in your mouth and creates a film that turns into a sludge that adheres to your teeth and eats away your enamel, we call it plaque. You can minimize the effect by limiting your sugar-fluid intake. Drink lots of water (2x the amount of soda/ eggnog/ juice etc. that you drink), this will dilute and rinse away the sugars and acids. At the very least, this should be done for 30 minutes prior to brushing your teeth.

Things to Eat Before Brushing

Foods like, cheese, carrots, celery apples and other crunchy and non-acidic foods can help scrape away plaque buildup while you chew while simultaneously lowering the pH balance inside your mouth. By eating these foods, and drinking water, you can stay ahead of the curve and make brushing and flossing easier.

Schedule Your Next Cleaning

After your holiday season is over, come in and let us have a look at your teeth. A good cleaning and possibly whitening treatment can have you ready to face the world and your New Years Resolutions with a brighter, more optimistic outlook on life.

Happy Holidays!