4 Tips To Better Oral Health During The Holidays

The Straight Truth About Health During The Holidays: Four Simple Daily Practices That Can Literally Save You Thousands, And Add 10 Years To Your Smile Today

The Simple Routine That’s Kept Me “Totally Cavity-Free” For 7 Years And Counting: It’s kept the “naughty” bugs out and kept my smile feeling “nice.”

Every year we have an exponentially high number of patients in the office during the holidays. Not just due to the end of the year “rush,” but more so due to toothaches, pain, sensitivity, jaw clicking, old dental work, and most commonly, chipped or broken teeth. We can’t always fit them all in. But this doesn’t have to be you!

Hot and Cold Cracking

How do things crack from prolonged use? Just think about it. If you heat something up then cool it down over and over, it will expand and shrink over and over. This causes cracking and weakening. This is why our roads are always torn up in Utah: Hot summers and cold winters cause popping and chipping in pavement and sidewalks.

During the holidays, there are more tasty foods to eat. Hot cocoa with cold ice cream. Cool sparkling cider with warm soup. Eating or drinking these causes our teeth, especially those with previous dental work, decay or crowns and bridges to expand and shrink. Hence we get more calls in the office due to chipping, cracking or dislodged dental restorations during the holidays. Avoid eating hot and cold things one after the other, and you can minimize the expanding and shrinking in your own mouth.

Build Up Your Defenses

Brushing is great, I do it every day. But, brushing alone isn’t nearly as important as this one little trick that works like magic. Here is my exact, proven, 4 step daily routine I use at home, and ESPECIALLY during the busy holiday season:

1. Early Morning: Fluoride/Xylitol mouthrinse before I get my day going (for some samples just call or stop in and we’ll send you some. Or you may visit pinecrestdds.com/xylitol to learn more). I also use a tongue scraper to freshen breath and remove bacteria. Studies have shown tongue scraping decreases our chances of getting a cold or the flu.
2. After Breakfast: Brush for 2 minutes with a Fluoride/Xylitol toothpaste after breakfast, and I avoid eating/drinking/rinsing for 20 minutes after so that the minerals safely strengthen my teeth without getting washed away too early. I prefer using a high-quality electric brush (such as the Sonicare Pro -- my favorite!) which has proven in countless studies to work better than manual brushing.
3. Between Meals: I drink WATER to safely and effectively wash the food away from my teeth to avoid pitting, staining, tooth decay (cavities) and gingivitis. Occasionally I eat something sweet or acidic during the holidays (C’mon dentists can take a break too!) I rinse with water for 30 seconds to rinse off the enamel damaging acids. I also use Opal Pix (my absolute favorite, special thin dental picks -- let me know if you’d like a sample)
4. Before Bed: Floss my teeth for 1 minute and brush for another 2 minutes with toothpaste, again avoiding eating/drinking/rinsing for 20 minutes afterward. Again protecting my enamel with a topical, safe and effective home mineral treatment.

Better Than Brushing

Pay close attention to #3. The simple secret? Drinking and rinsing with water! Avoid excess sugary and starchy foods (even complex carbs). This includes: white breads, chips and processed snacks, as well as the destructive effects of soft drinks and energy drinks. Even one soft drink acidifys our mouth for up to an hour, so against 4 minutes of brushing it’s a losing battle. During this time of year, treats and baked goods are everywhere! Over the years I’ve discovered that more than 2 soft drinks per week puts us at an elevated risk of oral diseases. So do you mouth a favor and cut back on the sugars and starches. It will save your in overall healthcare expenses, plus fewer unnecessary visits to the dentist.

On top of the 4 steps above, I also do these 2 things regularly to maintain oral health through my own dental provider:

1. Regular Checkups: Have your teeth cleaned regularly, at least 2 times a year, but up to 4 times (once a quarter) depending on your personal health and risk factors. I personally have mine cleaned every 4 months (3 times per year), since I have a family history of gum disease and I’ve had surgery to restore my gum recession.
2. Dental Sealants: Recent studies prove sealants provide up to 15 years of benefits. I had my teeth sealed between ages 6-12, but over the past 7 years I’ve had several re-sealed, and I plan to do it again in 10-15 years. Over time this is much more health-saving, comfortable, and cost-effective than having root canals or cracked and decayed teeth.

Just Released: Densentising Resins: New technology allows us to comfortably bond a clear and undetectable, but powerful clear coating along your gumline. This effectively seals, coats and enhances remineralization along those exposed roots and yellowed tooth areas. It is simple, quick and painless. Best of all it can be done in just a few minutes or during your scheduled preventative checkups.

Lastly, since it’s cold and flu season, be sure to change your toothbrush (or electric brush head) if you’ve had a cold or cough. Some Pro models of brushes include a UV sanitizer light for added antibacterial protection. Studies have also shown that dedicated tongue scrapers minimize the chance of contracting a cold of virus. If you need a tongue scraper, call my office and you can pick one up or we’ll send one to you. 

By following this Holiday Health guide, you will sleep better while waiting for St. Nick to arrive, and be able to spend your hard-earned cash on gifts for your loved ones, or those most in need, instead of spending on preventable dental disease.

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December 2017/Pinecrest Dental

Dr. Williams has been selected as a Top Dentist in Utah by the International Association of Dentists. He has also been awarded as one of America’s Best Dentists for the past three years in a row. Dr. Williams has been featured on ABC’s Good Things Utah, KTALK radio and in several national dental research publications, including the Academy of General Dentistry’s General Dentistry journal. His practice focuses on total-health dentistry and family prevention for a better quality of life.

To contact Dr. Williams, please visit pinecresdds.com or call (801) 503-0035.