The holiday season can mean a break from school for your kids, a break from work for you, and an opportunity for you to indulge in some of your favorite seasonal treats. As exciting as all of these developments can be, they can lead to some trouble for your smile if you are not careful! A break in your routine that affects your oral hygiene habits can lead to the buildup of plaque and tartar. If you overindulge in some of your favorite snacks and desserts, you can provide more food for the harmful oral bacteria that cause cavities. At our West Allis, WI dentist’s office, we can help you stay informed about your smile whenever you see us for routine dental care. When it is called for, we can put a stop to dental trouble by providing the appropriate restorative dental work.
Can The Holidays Really Change Your Risk For Cavities?
Depending on what your plans are for the holiday, you may need to take more care to keep your smile safe from harm at this time of year. If your routine changes because of a break in work, or because you are spending more time with your kids, it can be difficult to avoid some disruption in your brushing and flossing routine. You can also be more likely to experience cavities around this time of year because you have access to so many seasonal foods, particularly sweets, that expose your enamel to more sugar.
Good Practices To Follow During The Holiday Season
It is important that you work around your holiday plans and anticipate how they might affect your efforts to prevent dental problems. For example, if you have a favorite holiday dessert you struggle to resist, cut back on sweets at other times to keep your exposure to sugars low. One way to do this is to replace soft drinks with water at meals. You should also be consistent about brushing and flossing, even if your daily routine has shifted while you travel or have a break from work. Even a short interruption in your hygiene routine can lead to trouble with tartar buildup.
Is Your Next Dental Exam Scheduled?
You should have regular dental exams scheduled at six month intervals, unless your dentist has asked you to follow something different. If your next appointment is not already scheduled, make sure you schedule it as soon as possible! Going without a checkup after the holidays can lead to a cavity forming and going untreated until it progresses to the point of causing a painful infection. Remember that the effects of a cavity can be serious – if nothing is done in time, decay can lead to the spread of an infection and the loss of your tooth!
Schedule Your Next Dental Visit At Our West Allis, WI Dentist’s Office!
Stubbs Family Dentistry is ready to help patients keep their teeth safe throughout the year! If you want to learn more about our practice, or if you want to schedule an appointment, call our dentist’s office in West Allis, WI at 414-541-8250.
