With all the fun and busyness going on in Crockett during the holiday season, it can be easy to put your oral care on the back burner and start neglecting your teeth more than normal. Plus, this time of year usually involves more tooth-staining foods and beverages than we typically tend to enjoy. Here are some easy ways to combat holiday tooth discoloration and keep your smile bright.

1. Stay Away From Tooth-Staining Foods

Have you been waiting all year to indulge in that decadent cranberry sauce or pie? You may
want to think twice when you learn that cranberries are one of the worst teeth-staining foods you can eat. Other dark berries and red wine are just as bad. Avoid these dark foods when possible or rinse your mouth immediately afterward.

2. Avoid Dark Drinks

Dark drinks are well-known for their teeth-staining power, and drinking them can leave you with stained enamel across several teeth. Cocktail drinks containing dark liquid and red wines should be avoided. If you’d like to have an alcoholic beverage, then try sticking with champagne, white wine, beer, or other clear or light-colored liquors.

3. Watch Your Sugary Drinks and Foods

Constant sugar intake is the number one cause of cavities. And cavities stain your teeth. During a time of year when sweet treats are everywhere you turn, try to limit sugar as much as possible.

4. Starchy Foods Are Dangerous for Teeth

Starchy foods like bread, potatoes, and pasta not only turn into sugar but stick everywhere on your teeth and in certain areas of your mouth that can be difficult to clean. If not removed, these starchy foods cause staining and eventually cavities.

5. Quit Smoking

If you’re thinking about giving up smoking as a New Year’s resolution then why not go ahead
and make the commitment now? Since smoking stains teeth quickly, you could go ahead and
get a head start on your lifestyle change.

6. Don’t Neglect Your Oral Hygiene

As you already should be, remember to brush after every meal. If eating starchy, sticky foods it’s best to go ahead and floss about 30 minutes after your meal. If eating a meal or having drinks at someone else’s house, then plan ahead and take your toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss with you. No one will judge you if you excuse yourself to the restroom to go take care of your teeth. In fact, you might start a new trend!

Whatever you do, don’t wait to go brush and floss. If you don’t do it quickly after you eat, you might forget about it, and fall asleep in the recliner with a full belly.

7. Visit Your Dentist

When you’re gearing up for the holidays it’s also a great time to get your year-end cleaning and checkup. Especially if you have unused insurance benefits remaining. Before you get too busy, come to see Dr. Abdulaziz Dudeen at LOL Dental & Orthodontics. We’ll check all of your teeth and make sure that you don’t have any areas that are more prone to staining or need attention. Don’t wait any longer, give us a call today!