Holiday Treats and Your Teeth: How to Enjoy the Season Safely

From Thanksgiving pie to holiday cookie platters and New Year's toasts, the next six weeks are full of treats. You don't need to skip them. But this season brings a few specific risks for teeth, and a little awareness goes a long way, especially because dental emergencies never seem to wait until after the holidays.

The biggest holiday risks

Hard foods that crack teeth

Many holiday dental emergencies start with a single bite:

• Nuts in the shell. Never use your teeth as a nutcracker.
• Candy canes, peppermints and hard candy. Let them dissolve rather than biting down.
• Peanut brittle and toffee, which are both hard and sticky.
• Popcorn kernels, which crack teeth and lodge between them.
• Ice from holiday drinks.

Teeth with large fillings or old cracks are especially vulnerable. If you feel a sharp pain when biting or notice a piece missing, call us; most breaks can be fixed with bonding or a crown (restorative dentistry).

Sticky sweets

Caramels, fudge, dried fruit and gummy candies cling to the grooves of the back teeth and feed cavity-causing bacteria for a long time. They can also pull loose fillings and crowns.

All-day grazing

Holiday parties and open candy dishes mean nibbling all afternoon. Each snack starts a new round of acid that softens enamel for 20 to 30 minutes, so frequent grazing keeps teeth under attack. Enjoy your treats with meals or in one sitting instead.

Drinks that stain and erode

Red wine, coffee, cider, cranberry juice, eggnog and sugary cocktails add sugar and acid and can stain teeth. Alcohol also dries the mouth, reducing saliva's protection.

Simple habits that protect your teeth

• Drink water between treats to rinse away sugar and acid.
• Pair sweets with meals, when saliva flow is higher.
• Finish with cheese. A bite of cheese helps neutralize acid. Crunchy vegetables help clean teeth.
• Chew sugar-free gum after eating to boost saliva.
• Wait 30 minutes to brush after acidic foods and drinks so softened enamel can recover.
• Never skip brushing and flossing before bed, even after a late party.
• Pack a travel kit: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and any night guard or retainer.

Traveling for the holidays?

Before you leave, a quick look in the mirror and a mental check of any sore spots can save a ruined trip. If a tooth has been bothering you, get it checked before you go. Bring your dentist's phone number in case something comes up while you're away.

Use your benefits before they reset

If you have dental insurance, many plans reset on January 1. A December cleaning or that filling you've been putting off may cost less now than in January. Our post on using your dental benefits before year-end explains how to check what you have left.

Holiday hours and emergencies

If you have a dental emergency, call (703) 385-2772. We offer same-day attention whenever possible during office hours, Tuesday through Friday. After hours, leave a message and we'll call you back. Our emergency dental care page explains what counts as urgent.

Happy holidays from Zen Family Dental

Enjoy the season and the food that comes with it. If you're due for a checkup, request an appointment online or call us; December appointments go fast.