This time of year is a time for family get-togethers and friends hanging out.  It happens more this time of year because of all the holidays and traditions that come with living in the United States.  The fact is that most people are going to end up being in more social settings and going to those work parties throughout the next few months.  I can really see this in my own life and the life of my family.  We end up getting together more and eating and drinking more specialty and festive things.  This is a great time of year although many of us put on a few pounds.  But many people don’t pay attention to the damage that the sweets and extra food may be doing to their teeth.  The dental side of health gets pushed aside a lot and this time of year I suggest you focus on treating your teeth with some fewer sweets this year.

The extra sugar and food that can get stuck in your teeth start to break down the enamel and not only cause tooth decay but can really damage your breath as well.  Being 2020 most of us are wearing face masks on a daily basis and that is because of the rules and regulations due to COVID-19.  I highly suggest that you work on cutting down on sweets to allow your regular dental routine to be able to eliminate the food, plaque, and tarter in your mouth.  This doesn’t mean cutting back on all your favorite treats, but maybe simply eating and drinking a little less of them. 

When I am at parties I try to add more water to my routine and that is something I am focusing on hard this year.  Drinking water helps to rinse those sweet treats out of your mouth and off of your teeth.  But that is not all it does.  There are some extra benefits to being hydrated that help your teeth in other ways.  The more hydrated you are the more likely your saliva production will be on its game.  That is your mouth’s natural cleaner and mouthwash.  So by drinking water you are actually helping your whole dental health.  This is why it is important to remember to keep a bottle of water or a tumbler with you.

I take a tumbler everywhere with me and it was not super easy at first.  What actually made me keep it with me was getting a nice looking one that fit in with my work environment. I ended up heading to a nice big box store and finding a nice tumbler than resembles a coffee container and not a single soul has batted an eye at me having it with me in any meeting, or office setting.  It is a universally accepted item for any time and place and at work, it has helped me drink twice as much water per day.  I also have picked up a more sporting one for when I am in the car or going to the gym.  It is multipurpose and I have gotten a lot of use out of that one as well.  All while doing this I am helping my dental health and cutting down on dentist bills later on. So to me, that has been the best thing of the year!