It’s that time of year again. Family celebrations, traveling, and busy schedules occupy every waking minute of the holiday break, leaving little time for regular dental care. With so many places to be and sugary sweets to eat, keeping up with dental hygiene can feel impossible! Nearly 117 million Americans travel for Christmas during the holiday season. All the holiday traveling can distract from regular dental hygiene. In fact, nearly 40% of Americans have made changes to their oral routine due to the holidays. While it may not seem like a big deal at the moment, neglecting dental care during holiday travel can be detrimental to your teeth. In this article, we’ll look at healthy versus unhealthy holiday foods, the influence of beverages on teeth, the importance of a hygiene routine, and some affordable travel toothbrush options to suit your on-the-go needs.
Candy Cane, Candy Can’t
There’s nothing like the smell of freshly baked apple pie, the scent of Christmas cookies, or a sweet candy cane to melt the resolve to eat healthy. Let’s face it. Sugar is not something that is easily avoided during the holiday season. Fortunately, there are strategies to maintain dental health while enjoying the sweet pleasures of holiday gatherings. The first step is considering how much sugar you consume.
One of the leading factors for poor dental care during holiday travel is eating too many sweets. Another trick is to eat desserts with a meal, rather than as a snack. The saliva being generated as a result of the meal helps rinse out the sugar and acid from your teeth. As enjoyable as it is to suck on the candy canes from the tree, these and other hard candies are particularly known to foster bacterial growth.
Influence of Holiday Beverages on Teeth
Have you ever considered the influence a mug of warm hot cocoa could have on your teeth? Avoiding excessive pie and fudge is great not only for your body but also for your teeth. However, the negative impact of holiday drinks on your teeth is often overlooked. Drinks other than water, including wine, cider, cocoa, and punch, contain erosive acids. Without rinsing your mouth with water before bed, the acidic juices break down enamel, exposing your teeth to bacterial invasion. Carbonated soft drinks are also harmful to your teeth.
They contain sugar, phosphoric acid, and citric acid that wear out the enamel and encourage bacterial growth. Not all non-water beverages are harmful, though. Green tea is known to contain bacteria-killing properties. In addition to rinsing with water, practicing dental hygiene is the best method of bacterial prevention for your teeth. Whether it’s green tea, brushing, or rinsing, be sure to stay hydrated! Being knowledgeable about the beverages that can influence dental health can help you navigate dental care during holiday travel.
It’s Not All About Sugar
What if I told you that pumpkin pie is good for your teeth? It’s common to think that eating healthy means absolutely no sugar. But the truth is that eliminating sugar isn’t the only strategy to promote dental care during holiday travel. Some non-sugary foods are good for the teeth, and some are harmful. Sticky foods, such as sandwiches, can be bad for your teeth because they are hard to remove. This includes starchy foods such as potato chips. There are other foods, however, that are good for your teeth.
One of these is pumpkin! Pumpkins can actually help strengthen and build enamel. While the sugar in pumpkin pie isn’t necessarily teeth-friendly, the pumpkin is! Cranberries contain an anti-stick compound, and cheese has calcium that balances the pH from the acidity. Some foods, such as apples, help because chewing acts like scrubbing your teeth, removing other stashed foods and bacteria. In the end, it’s not just about the sugar you avoid, but how you care for your teeth.
Consistency Is Key to Preventing Disease
It’s easy to make excuses for slacking on dental care, such as the holiday season or busy travel schedules. However, skipping even a few days of oral care can give the bacteria an advantage in plaque buildup. Perhaps you may think, “What’s wrong with a little buildup?” An inconsistent routine paired with the flood of sugary holiday foods can cause buildup difficult to remove with normal brushing.
Plaque buildup can be concerning due to the risk of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S. Plaque buildup leads to infection and the collection of bacteria, which travels through the blood to the heart. While neglecting dental hygiene hasn’t been labeled as a direct cause of disease, studies and research indicate that regular hygiene reduces the risk of chronic and metabolic diseases.
Travel-Friendly Dental Care Products
In a world of transportation and technology, it can be difficult to keep track of things, especially dental hygiene. Dental care on the road doesn’t have to be stressful. Electric toothbrushes have been shown to be one of the most effective tools for removing plaque buildup. It may seem like that level of efficiency is unsustainable since electronic toothbrushes can be a hassle to charge while traveling.
However, advancements in technology have produced an entire line of electronic toothbrushes specifically made for travel! These products have batteries lasting approximately 2–4 weeks, perfect for most travel needs. Many of them come with a protective case and are TSA-approved, making them perfect for flying. These can easily be found on Amazon for $10-$100 and are perfect for maintaining dental care during holiday travel.
Conclusion
Traveling during the holidays can be overwhelming enough on its own. The last thing you need is a toothache thrown into the bunch. Practicing regular dental hygiene and keeping unhealthy foods at a moderate level are some ways to keep your teeth shiny during the holiday season. At the end of the day, the question to consider is how you can prioritize your dental health.
You may not always be able to minimize sweets, eliminate snacking, or eat healthy foods. But you can make it a point to care for your teeth every day. Being intentional, finding a good travel toothbrush, and practicing regular dental hygiene can help you manage dental care even during holiday travel. Get your travel toothbrush today!
If you need more assistance with dental care during holiday travel, schedule an appointment with Maryville Family Dental – our great team will get you underway to great dental health all year long!
