10 tips to avoid tooth decay after Christmas
At Christmas, tooth decay increases by 50 percent due to the amount of sugar we ingest and which is a great enemy of our teeth. Parties, celebrations and emotional encounters are synonymous with Christmas, but also with changes in routines in our diet and in the increase of sweets.
In this time is very important to prevent and care for our oral health and know what we eat, so as not to suffer the negative consequences of excesses during these days. According to the dentist Ivan Malagón, "after Christmas, there are many patients who come to consultation with caries problems and dental problems, both adults and children, in the case of children, more than 50 percent of tooth decay they are produced in this period due to an excessive consumption of sugar and an inadequate routine of hygiene ".
In addition, he adds that "the expression" we are what we eat "takes special prominence when we talk about oral health.In many occasions, we are not aware that many foods that are in our daily diet can actually be harmful to our teeth and tissues that surround them, simply by controlling the types of food we eat, their quantity, frequency and knowing our individual biology (type and quality of enamel, tendency to decay or bleeding gums, etc), we can give our teeth many more years of life without spending money or effort. "
10 tips to keep your teeth healthy and beautiful during Christmas
These tips are also valid to take care of her the rest of our life.
1. The basic rule: brush your teeth after each meal and, at least, three times a day. You should never go to bed without washing them and without having used silk or floss between your teeth.
to. In the mouth there are not only teeth: you must maintain a correct hygiene of your tongue and palate by lingual cleansers or, even, with your own brush. To prevent the gums from swelling and bleeding, perform massages with circular movements in each brush.
b. Before using any mouthwash it is better to consult a specialist. Some can not be used in certain cases and others are not recommended to be used continuously.
c. Change your brush every 3 months, or whenever the bristles have lost shape and are blunt.
2. Beware of nougat and typical Christmas sweets: It is advisable to eat better hard nougat than soft or chocolate (contain more amount of sugar). The composition of hard nougat is mostly almond, honey, egg white and a low percentage of sugar. If you opt for chocolate, better black, 70% have antioxidant and cardioprotective properties.
3. Christmas, excess sugar: Sticky treats and soft sweets create many gum inflammation problems in children and adults who wear orthodontic appliances. The hardest candies can fracture the teeth, as well as destroy the fillings and damage the orthodontic work. Caries-producing bacteria are especially nourished by foods rich in sugars.
4. Alert with drinks with sugar: cOvereating sugary drinks can become very aggressive to the teeth, severely damaging the enamel. When sweetening coffee or infusions, aspartate, stevia or other sweeteners are recommended. But beware of "light" or sugar-free products, as they may contain fructose, glucose and other sugars, which are harmful to the teeth.
5. Avoid drinking carbonated drinks or acid juices (orange, lemon or grapefruit). This type of drinks decalcify the enamel of your teeth and cause premature wear. Others like coffee, tea or wine can dye them. One tip is to use straws when drinking them.
6. Control with alcohol: In the Christmas toasts it is advisable to drink sugar-free or champagne drinks without alcohol, but if it is difficult to resist, choose red wine, since white wine and champagne are more aggressive for the enamel and for the cement of the tooth root.
7. Abrupt changes in temperature, danger! Sudden changes in temperature in food causes increased sensitivity and even inflammation of the blood vessels inside your teeth.
8. Increase protein consumption, calcium, fluoride and vitamins A, C, D and K.
9. Tobacco, a great enemy of health and our teeth: causes loss in the permeability of the mucous membranes, that is, decreases the oxygenation of all tissue, which causes premature aging and deteriorates the health of the tissues surrounding the tooth.
10. Go to your dentist if you see that you notice a problem in your mouth or teeth. In addition, the visit to this specialist is required at least twice a year as a preventive measure.
A healthy mouth helps us maintain overall health by allowing us to chew and swallow food effectively to absorb nutrients.Enjoy Christmas and take care for next year.
Iván Malagón. Dentist
