As the holiday season begins, gatherings, parties, and at-home enjoyments will likely feature many alcoholic drinks for guests to imbibe. These drinks have long been staples of the holiday season but can affect the bacterial biome inside your mouth. Van Dyke General and Implant Dentistry promotes good oral hygiene year-round and shares ways to enjoy alcoholic beverages while keeping your mouth healthy.
Everyone’s mouth has large amounts of bacteria which are mostly harmless. In fact, many strains protect your gums and teeth while others, such as probiotics, help your body digest foods. But a 2018 study published in Microbiome found adults with frequent and heavy alcohol consumption had higher levels of bad oral bacteria. These bacteria are responsible for causing many common oral issues, such as dry mouth, gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss.
Many holiday beverages, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic, are sweet and savory. As you sip these sugary beverages, bacteria feed within your mouth which fuels oral bacteria for growth. A great way to keep bad bacteria at bay is to schedule regular dental appointments with a dentist Gainesville, FL residents depend on at Van Dyke General and Implant Dentistry. We offer convenient scheduling, even during the holidays, to help you maintain good oral health!
The holidays are full of time spent with friends and family, often enjoying many foods and drinks that can affect your oral health. The Gainesville dentistry professionals at Van Dyke General and Implant Dentistry offer these three tips to help maintain good oral hygiene during the holiday season.
Though reds and whites can both cause oral health issues, if you drink wine, don’t swish it around inside your mouth. Choose a drier wine as opposed to a sweet or dessert wine which has higher sugar content. Also, red wine, sangria, and other dark-colored alcoholic beverages can dull and stain teeth, so limit how many glasses you have and use a whitening toothpaste.
Dehydration not only affects your entire body but it causes dry mouth, a leading cause of common oral issues. Avoid this by using a beverage, one glass of water rotation through the holidays. Not only does the water help your mouth stay moistened, but it helps wash away bacteria and sugars that otherwise cling to the gums and tooth enamel.
The busy holiday season isn’t a reason to slack on proper brushing and flossing, and it’s even more important if you’re enjoying alcoholic beverages. Thorough brushing and flossing will rid your mouth of alcohol residue that can erode your gums and teeth. No matter what the calendar says, regular brushing and flossing are key to the proper hygiene of dental Gainesville residents.
Prepare for the holidays by scheduling a check-up with a Gainesville dentist at Van Dyke General and Implant Dentistry today! Our staff uses the latest dental technologies to provide comprehensive care and treatment for every patient. As a full-service office, our dentists create custom treatment plans for many dental conditions and issues. Contact our office today!