Happy Easter!
Your Billings, MT family dentist knows that today you’re likely celebrating the holiday with your family and friends, but we’re still hard at work keeping our patients informed about how to keep their smiles healthy and beautiful!
Dr. Larsen and our team at Yellowstone Family Dental are devoting our Easter blog to some of the ways this holiday affects your teeth, gums, and oral health overall.
We all deserve to relax, have a good time, and enjoy ourselves amongst family and friends during special occasions like today.
But sometimes, these special occasions can sort of linger on a bit too long and threaten the strength of your teeth.
You know what we’re talking about.
Those leftovers in the refrigerator you nibble on for a few more days, the extra cans of soda that were never opened, and the Easter basket filled with candy sitting out on the kitchen counter.
Today, we’re giving you some tips on how you can make it a happy Easter with your family, while also making it a happy occasion for your smile.
After the holiday is over, visit Yellowstone Family Dental for a cleaning and exam, and we’ll make sure you made it through the holiday with your great smile intact!
A Not-So Happy Easter For Your Teeth
We love the holidays as much as anyone else!
So don’t misunderstand us when we talk about how some holiday treats are bad for you and your smile. We just want to make sure you understand the ways food and drinks, particularly those we tend to reserve for special occasions, can affect your teeth and gums.
With that in mind, here are the usual suspects when it comes to Easter, and other holiday, indulgences:
Usual Suspect #1 – Sugar
Harmful bacteria in your mouth patiently sits and waits for you to eat and drink all the delights that are packed with extra sugar. It then feeds on it and grows, threatening you with decay and cavities.
Usual Suspect #2 – Alcohol
Because of its sugar, dark pigments, and high levels of acidity, alcohol often provides bad bacteria the fuel it needs to grow and spread. It also attacks your tooth enamel, stains your teeth, and can lead to dehydration, which leaves your teeth and gums vulnerable to erosion.
Usual Suspect #3 – Refined Carbohydrates
While carbs may give you a burst of energy, they’re as delicious to bacteria as sugar, so keep that in mind when filling your plates and cups!
Tips For A Healthy Easter Smile
Holidays are always a time to throw your usual, healthy diet by the wayside and have a little fun!
Easter is no exception, so go ahead and treat yourself, keeping these smile-friendly tips in mind!
*Drink Smart*
There might be a corner table that holds your family’s drink selections for your Easter gathering.
You’ll see some 2-liters of soda, sweet tea, lemonade, and maybe even some beer for the grown-ups.
All these can be problematic for your teeth because of their high sugar content and acidity. So keep in mind that these sort of beverages should be consumed sparingly, or better yet, replaced with water.
*Between Brushing, Try Rinsing*
Families who get together for Easter dinner enjoy many of the same kinds of dishes, such as country ham, fried chicken, cheesy casseroles, and cold pasta salad.
Then, of course, you have all the goodies in the Easter baskets to finish off the meal!
To keep your mouth clear of food particle and sugar-laden residue, rinse your mouth out with water until you get a chance to brush and floss your teeth again.
*Ration Easter Candy*
Remember back in the fall how you kept the Halloween candy out in full view for a couple of weeks? That surely made it tough for your family to resist grazing on a piece here and there all throughout the day!
This Easter, consider hiding the Easter candy, perhaps in a cabinet or in the freezer so you and the kids can enjoy a piece or two as a snack just once a day or a few times a week.
*Avoid Darker, Gooey Candy*
One of the factors that makes candy tough on your teeth, aside from all the sugar, is its color and consistency.
In other words, you want to be mindful of the bold, bright candy filled with pigments that could stain your teeth and the sticky substances like marshmallow, caramel, and toffee that can literally stick to your teeth and become a welcomed food source for bad bacteria in your mouth.
*Consider Alternatives To Candy*
It seems we all follow an unspoken rule during certain holidays that candy is the primary way to treat someone. Easter is certainly one of those times!
If you have kids, especially, you feel an obligation to fill up the Easter baskets with candy. There’s nothing wrong with that, but don’t forget about alternatives to this tradition!
Load up their baskets with crayons, coloring books, magazines, or little toys, too.
That way the kiddos can still have fun while keeping their teeth healthy!
Make An Appointment
You can follow these tips really any time of the year, but since today is Easter Sunday, we thought it was the perfect time to give you some helpful reminders about protecting your family’s smiles while celebrating!
Make Yellowstone Family Dental your family’s trusted dentist office!
Call our Billings, MT dental office today at 406-245-7026 or contact us online to schedule your next appointment.