Is Your Smile Valentine-Proof?

Is Your Smile Valentine-Proof?

What is Valentine’s Day without sweets? Aside from bouquets of flowers, sugary treats like chocolates and candies are the most common gifts we give to our loved ones whether they are young or old.

Considering how much sugar one consumes on this day, it’s very important that you and your loved ones take really good care of your teeth. Good oral hygiene is key to protecting your teeth from all the sugar and the bacteria that can cause gum disease and tooth decay.

So how do you protect your smile this Valentine’s Day?

Stay Away from Sticky Candies

While all sugary treats are a threat to your teeth, the sticky and hard to chew variety are the worst. Caramels, gum drops, and toffee, among others, are full of sugar and they will stick to both natural teeth and dentures. Some of them are so sticky that they can actually dislodge dental appliances like braces. If you want to protect your teeth from damage and decay, you should avoid these types of candies.

Don’t Forget to Brush and Floss

Sweets, especially the sticky and chewy ones take hours to dissolve or wear away. They can also get lodged between your teeth and eat away the enamel and lead to gum irritation and cavities. That’s why you should remember to brush your teeth after eating candies. You should also floss to get those hard-to-remove stuck particles between your teeth. Swishing with mouthwash after can also help.

Establish a Daily Oral Hygiene Routine

It’s not enough to just brush your teeth on days when you eat a lot of sweets. You should protect your gums and teeth all year long. You can do this by having a really effective oral hygiene routine. Brush and floss your teeth at least twice daily. When your teeth are strong, they can withstand the damaging effects of sugary treats better.

Schedule a Visit to Your Dentist

It’s a good idea to have a professional dental cleaning after Valentine’s Day. This way, you can be sure that your teeth will be thoroughly cleaned. Your dentist can also check those problem areas that you might have missed. Any oral health issue will also be caught and you can avoid major dental problems.

Pickering Square Dental can help you keep your teeth strong and healthy. We can also give you tips on how you can still enjoy those sweet treats you get on Valentine’s Day without having to worry about your oral health!

Love Your Teeth More this Valentine’s Day, Unlocking the Secret to a Healthier Smile

woman's portrait with chocolate

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and as it gets closer, you may also be getting more and more anxious about what kind of celebration your loved one has planned, or just hoping you’d find a date before that big day. Equip yourself with one of the best weapons for Valentine’s – a beautiful smile. Research shows that nothing is more attractive to the opposite sex than a bright and white smile.

 

What is ironic is that Valentine’s Day, which we often spend smiling, is actually a bad day for your teeth – and your smile. People tend to get carried away with all the delicious chocolates and sweets, as well as wine and other great food. These can all take their toll on your teeth.

Bacteria that grow in your mouth feed on sugar, so the more sugar you eat, the more those bacteria can damage your teeth. That is when they start creating cavities that also hurt the inner layer of your teeth and enamel. Because we cannot totally ban sugar, especially on Valentine’s Day, the least we can do is to limit our intake and try to avoid sticky candies that are more damaging than the others.

 

To get a better and healthier smile, here are our Valentine-proof tips just for you:

 

Choose Strawberries. Not everyone knows that strawberries have that substance called malic acid that acts as a natural tooth whitener. It can remove any discoloration on the surface of your teeth.

 

If strawberries are not your thing, you can eat red apples instead. They increase saliva production that help wash debris away.

 

If you can’t skip the chocolates, at least go for dark ones. Dark chocolates are known to have calcium and other ingredients that actually promote stronger and better teeth.

 

Drink lots of water to help flush away food particles that are left in your mouth. Stay hydrated!

 

Do not forget to visit your dentist at least twice in a year. Only a professional can tell whether or not your teeth are in good condition. You dentist can also help you in maintaining a healthy mouth.

 

Valentine’s Day is holiday that is best celebrated with a loved one. Instead of following the norms of giving sweets and chocolates, why not start a new one? Perhaps we can give a fruit basket instead a box of chocolates. That would make Valentine’s Day even more special than it already is.