Feast time is here! We love holidays that bring the family together to celebrate each other’s company…and of course, eat. We also know when food is present, a mess is current as well. This year avoid the mess being your food stuffed smile.
To help prevent an unkept mouth, we’ve come up with a list of our top tips to keep a healthy white smile. These teeth cleaning tips will leave you with pearly whites that’ll warm the hearts of your family.
Bring Floss
Thanksgiving meals tend to be heavy on starches, which generally attached to your teeth. Those sticky foods such as cornbread, rice, beans, pies, and potatoes are not easily removed by sipping down liquids. Toothpicks will only get you so far as well.
To avoid plaque buildup, pack some dental floss. It’ll not only save your teeth in the long run, but the quick teeth cleaning will protect your family photos from a tragic ‘food smile (smiling with food stuck in between your teeth). It may also be a great way to begin your daily flossing habit, saving you from unwanted cosmetic dentistry work in the future.
Use a Whitening Strip
Aside from your at-home teeth cleaning and flossing procedure, it may be a great idea to sneak in a 30-minute teeth whitening strip before or after eating. The cosmetic dental piece may not completely transform your smile, but it can make it appear a bit brighter for the time being.
If all the sugars and hot cocoas dim down tooth color, check out your local dental office or a dentist in Thousand Oaks for a teeth whitening session. This way, your white smile stays Instagram family photo-ready, all year long.
Don’t Forget Your Fruits and Veggies
We know eating fruits and salads is not the average person’s priority on Thanksgiving day. However, oven-baked foods like turkey and macaroni and cheese can take a toll on your smile, specifically the odor. Add some natural fruits to your plate to freshen up your breath and create saliva that’ll help you wash down heavy meals. The fruity smell can prevent bad breath jokes suggesting you need to see a family dentist. Regardless, join in on the laugh, we’ve all been there before.
Avoid Caffeine and Red Wine
This may be a lot harder than it sounds, but it’s still worth a try. Caffeine and wine can easily stain your white teeth and make them appear incredibly dull. Considering Thanksgiving dinners are likely social, you may want to consider other beverages. Organic juices are always a tasty and energetic alternative.
Although these tips were specified for Thanksgiving and the holiday season, it’s great to try them throughout the year. Floss daily, est those fruits and veggies, and avoid the damage of too much caffeine.
To avoid frequently using teeth whitening strips, come into Newbury Dental Group, a dentist in Thousand Oaks, for an annual checkup. We provide teeth whitening sessions, teeth cleaning, and cosmetic dentistry that’ll make you want to show off a white smile every day of the year!