Before you get into the Christmas season of treating yourself, you need to remember a few health tips.
The Ontario Dental Association says there are some candies you should stay away from for your oral health. President Doctor David Stevenson says hard candies, candy canes and even stress is bad for your teeth.
Stevenson says you can enjoy your sweet and savoury delights over the holidays but be sure to brush twice a day, floss daily and have tooth-friendly snacks like cheese and nuts to balance things out.
The association says these are some tips to remember:
Sugar: The holidays are a minefield of sweets, Eggnog, cider, pop, cookies, chocolates and caramels are loaded with sugar, so swish with water after drinking and eating these to wash away the residue.
Starches: Many of us love mashed potatoes, stuffing, bread and crackers, but all of these can get stuck in your teeth and break down into sugars, which cause cavities.
Spirits: Alcohol is no friend to your mouth. Wine is sugary and high in acid, plus, red wine can stain teeth and many mixed drinks have lots of sugar and carbonation in them.
Stress: it’s important to pay attention to stress levels, anxiety can lead to over-indulging, loss of sleep, a sluggish immune system and teeth grinding, which causes pain and over time, can lead to tooth loss.
He says if you follow these tips, you can avoid cavities.
