Around the start of the New Year, life can get chaotic and busy, filled with a full schedule of parties and celebrations. And with all of those parties and celebrations usually includes the indulgence of goods eats and even tastier cocktails and beverages. With all of the baked goods and sweet holiday treats, scheduling a check-up with your dentist is the best way to ensure that your teeth are good and healthy afterwards.
If you haven’t scheduled a check-up with your Ottawa dentist for the New Year, here are few good reasons why you should!
High Amounts of Acidic Food and Beverages
It’s no secret that we all tend to overindulge during the holiday season. With all of the festivities happening with family, friends, and co-workers, why shouldn’t you? But with all of those not-so-healthy food and beverages being consumed (often in large quantities) all of those acidic, sugary, and processed goods can really take a toll on your tooth enamel and gums.
Detect Bad Habits
Sometimes, your mouth can develop bad habits without you even realizing it. The holidays can be a stressful time. And with all of that stress, bad habits such as clenching, chewing, or grinding can form when you’re awake or even as you sleep. They can be subtle enough that you don’t pay much attention to them, which over time, can end up damaging your teeth. But a visit to your dentist can help determine if you have developed any of these and how you can identify, prevent, and eliminate the problem.
Prevention of Cavities
Even if you are thorough with brushing your teeth and flossing, the reality is that sometimes it still just simply isn’t enough. Prevention is what matters the most. That means scheduling dental check-ups, especially after the holidays when your mouth and teeth have to endure a lot of potentially unhealthy consumption. Having a New Year’s check-up is one of the best times to give your teeth and gums a good cleaning and help prevent any damage from occurring after the holiday season.
Prevent Gum Disease
If it’s been more than 6 months since you last visited the dentist, the New Year is an ideal time to make an appointment after indulging during the holiday season. Checkups with the dentist aren’t only necessary for cleaning your teeth and monitoring them for cavities, they’re also vital for preventing more serious conditions such as gum disease, which can form due to poor oral hygiene. Without proper, regular brushing and flossing, bacteria can cause plaque to build in your mouth. As it accumulates and sticks to your teeth, it can cause inflammation of the gums, which can lead to gingivitis or periodontitis. Both types of gum disease can eventually lead to tooth loss if they’re ignored.
Risk of Other Health Concerns
The health of your mouth is important for maintaining a healthy body too. When your teeth or gums are infected and inflamed, it can lead to an increased risk for the following health conditions:
- Stroke
- Heart Disease
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Oral Cancer
- Liver Dysfunction
- Pancreatic Cancer
Remove Stains and Whiten Your Teeth
The holidays are all about treating ourselves to lots of tasty treats, delectable foods and of course, beverages. With so much being consumed during this time of year, it can leave our teeth looking discoloured. If stains have built up over the holidays and your teeth are looking worse for wear, over the counter whitening strips and toothpaste might not be effective at lifting them. You’ll need a professional whitening solution provided by your dentist to effectively penetrate through the enamel to lift stubborn stains and safely brighten your smile. If you’re a red wine drinker, coffee drinker or smoker, a post-holiday checkup is highly recommended, not only to inspect your teeth but to whiten them as well.
Preventative Care is Easier
Regular checkups and cleanings are about preventative care which helps patients avoid more serious procedures to correct damage to their teeth and gums. By visiting your dentist as recommended, and after the busy holiday season, you can minimize the potential of requiring more time consuming and costly procedures to repair damage such as cavities, root canals, extractions, and oral surgery.
Don’t neglect your teeth and gums this holiday season. They have to endure a lot with all of the merriment and consumption that happens during this time of year. And although it is generally recommended to have your mouth checked every six months, scheduling a New Year’s check-up is well worth doing to ensure that your oral health is in great shape.
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