Using your teeth as a tool

Everyone knows that we shouldn’t use our teeth to open things such as bottles but it is one worth remembering because it still seems to happen an awful lot!

We have heard of teeth being used to do all sorts of things such as cracking nuts and tearing off tags. Be mindful of how precious your teeth are and grab a tool instead of your teeth.

Fizzy drinks

I’m sure you don’t need us to tell you that fizzy drinks such as coke and lemonade are bad for your teeth. But did you know that other fizzy drinks such as Prosecco, Champagne and the Christmas favourite – Bucks Fizz can also pose a risk?

It isn’t just the sugar you have to worry about with these drinks but the acidity. Every time you sip on this drink, the PH level in your mouth alters for around 20 minutes. 

Now we don’t want to spoil your fun it is Christmas after all. You can minimise damage by trying to drink them at mealtimes, snack on cheese, also sipping water and not drinking it too frequently. 

Sticky sweets

We hate sticky sweets they are literally the worse things for your teeth! Our top villain – TOFFEE. Toffee may be delicious but it is one of the toughest things you can eat. If you have any dental work, then toffee should be completely avoided!

Sticky sweets really hang around. They stick to every nook and cranny and hang around long after you’ve finished eating them.

Nuts

If you have some teeth that have large fillings in you may already avoid nuts. But often over Christmas, they seem to make an appearance. Whilst nuts are a healthy snack they can pose a real threat to causing a broken tooth. If nuts are a must for you then practice mindful chewing and sticking to softer nuts such as cashews and avoided the harder ones such as Brazil and Hazelnuts.

Grazing

Eating is such a huge part of Christmas and we can end up munching all day. Many people are unaware that it is the frequency of consuming sugary or acidic foods that causes the most damage. After you eat your PH level is altered from twenty minutes up to an hour. If you graze all day, this means that you are not leaving anytime for your mouth to recover.

You can minimise the damage by reducing how much of the day you spend eating and drinking and also choosing better snacks for your teeth. Snacking on cheese, vegetables and sipping water is a great way to keep your mouth in better shape.