Having braces can be tough without any special occasions being thrown in. You often can’t eat a lot of your favorite foods but, you’re working your way to a beautiful smile, which makes it worth the effort. When the holidays roll around, it can be a little tough to say no to those sweet treats and even tougher to find time to fit in that daily dental hygiene routine. Here are a few tips to get you through the holidays without risking the integrity of your braces.
Avoid Nuts
Splurging on some sweet treats just for the holidays is fine and dandy but, be sure you’re not getting treats with nuts in them. Nuts are a good way to break your braces which is not something you want to add to your plate during the busy holiday season. Nuts are in a lot of holiday treats so, just be aware of the ingredients in your treats.
Step Up the Brushing Game
It’s no secret that all of us tend to take part in eating more sugary treats during the holidays. Not to mention, we take part in eating more in general. With all this added sugar and food, be sure to not let your brushing game falter. In fact, step it up and maybe add in an extra brushing or flossing for the day. This will ensure all of the bad bacteria and sugar is removed from your teeth as quickly as possible. This means it will have less time to do damage or cause issues.
Stick with the Soft Candies
If possible, try to go with candy and treats that are softer. You already know nuts are a bad idea but, any hard candies or treats can be just as detrimental to your braces as well. It can be difficult to get in to a dental professional during the holidays, so don’t leave yourself having to deal with something such as a broken wire through the holidays.
Wear a Mouthguard
Many families like to play sports or do fun activities during the holiday breaks. It can be a family tradition to play with new toys, go on vacation, or rough house. However, this can all result in getting hit in the face. With braces, this can mean more damage than usual. A mouthguard, while playing sports, being more active, etc. will ensure that you don’t do any damage to your teeth, braces, cheek, tongue, etc.
Have fun over the holidays but, stay safe and protect all that hard work you’ve been doing to ensure your smile is as bright and beautiful as possible. There’s no need to skip out on splurging altogether, but it’s always good to have reminders on how we can be smart about those splurges.
