It’s that time of year! We have so many delicious treats to indulge in and festivities to attend. Sweets and other goodies are one of the things people look forward to during the holiday season. You may have a family favorite recipe or enjoy the special holiday store baked goods. (See below for a Norman Dental favorite recipe.) Indulging on sugary foods can lead to cavities if you don’t take proper care of your teeth. Be merry this holiday season and enjoy your favorite sweets! Just be sure to take proper care of your teeth. Here are some tips to help you do that.

Use Straws

You can minimize the damage that sugary beverages do to your teeth by using a straw. Straws help reduce the amount of the beverage that comes in contact with your teeth. They also help prevent staining.

Chew Sugar Free Gum

Sugar free gum can actually protect your teeth from cavities. Chewing sugar-free gum can stimulate the production of saliva. Saliva naturally cleans your teeth and mouth. Chewing sugar-free gum can also help prevent the plaque in the mouth from creating extra acid. Furthermore, sugar-free gum can help balance the PH in the mouth.

Eat Your Snacks with a Meal

It is better to eat sugary foods as a part of a meal instead of eating them alone. More saliva is produced when you eat large meals, and this helps prevent food from sticking to your teeth. The saliva also helps neutralize acid. These acids can cause cavities.

Rinse Your Mouth Out

You can protect your teeth by rinsing your mouth out for 15 to 20 seconds after eating something acidic. This helps prevent the acid from attacking your teeth. It also helps stimulate saliva production. Rinsing your mouth out after eating something acidic will help protect your enamel.

Brush Your Teeth

Brushing your teeth is one of the most important things you can do to protect your teeth and prevent cavities. We recommend you brush at least twice a day for two minutes each time. Consider taking a travel toothbrush with you to holiday events so you can brush your teeth shortly after your meal. To give the saliva a chance to neutralize the acid in your mouth, we recommend you wait about 30 minutes after eating before you brush.

Norman Dental Favorite Holiday Recipe

Try this and tag us in your Facebook post when you upload a photo!

Recipe submitted by Vickie

12 oz. macaroni

¼ c. margarine

¼ c. flour

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

¾ tsp. dry mustard

3 ½ c. milk

5 c. cheese, grated

Cook macaroni and drain well. Melt butter, stir in flour, salt, mustard and pepper. Stir until smooth; stir in milk and 4 cups cheese. Mix well. Add macaroni. Mix well. Pour in large casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.