December: the month of Christmas parties. The halls are decked with holly, all weekends are booked up and every event seems an opportunity to celebrate the festive season. However, this time of year isn’t necessarily one where oral hygiene is prioritised. With this in mind, what should you be considering as Christmas approaches?
In the first instance, looking after your health is paramount. The combination of cold weather and being on the go all the time means you are likely to be more susceptible to colds and bugs. So you should be trying to get as much sleep as possible and make sure to wrap up warm when outside or returning home late at night. It may also be a good idea to invest in multivitamins to ensure that you are offering your body maximum protection this winter.
Secondly, the ‘Christmas Party Diet’ isn’t one that you body is likely to thank you for. Traditional Christmas staples such as mince pies are often loaded with sugar. Christmas party canopes are often full of processed foods and while it’s fun to indulge, the likelihood of always hitting your five a day seems much harder when running from Christmas shopping to the next lot of Christmas drinks. It’s a time of year when we constantly seem to need to be out and about and hence it’s much harder to ensure that your diet is balanced. The combination of an increase in intake of alcohol, sugar and processed foods and the lack of time means that dental hygiene may decline.
So how can you combat this? The key is to be aware and remember to take care of your teeth. Keep brushing twice a day, even – especially- if coming home very late from a party. Using fluoride toothpaste, mouthwash and floss or interdental brushes will ensure that your teeth are kept clean and so minimise the effects of sugar and alcohol. And if you do spot any problems or have any concerns, make the time in this busy period to see the dentist – the earlier a problem is detected, the quicker it can be sorted.