How to protect and perfect your smile this Christmas

There’s just days to go before Christmas truly descends - but what might not be top of your list is your dental care regime. Understandable, until you hear about the risks you’re putting your smile. Did you know that everything from a festive tipple to wrapping presents can harm your teeth, if you’re not careful?

Eager to uncover the facts, Hood’s spoken with Dr Derek Swan, of Edinburgh dentist New Town Dental Care, to find out which festive activities are putting us at risk, and how to make sure our smiles stay healthy this Christmas - nobody wants a trip to the emergency dentist, after all…

Wrapping the presents

There’s not a soul among us who hasn’t spent Christmas Eve frantically wrapping gifts, wrestling a roll of wrapping paper whilst ripping off strips of sticky tape with your teeth. However, did you know that this can actually be an oral health hazard?

“Using your teeth on sticky tape is an easy way to cause damage to your teeth,” says Dr Derek. “Ripping the tape puts pressure on the edges of your teeth, making it easy for them to weaken or even crack – the worst-case scenario is dislodging a crown or a veneer. Invest in a tape dispenser instead and save yourself the worry!”

All that snacking

Christmas is synonymous with snacking, and a seemingly bottomless pile of treats to tuck into during the festive season. It’s easier than you might think to find yourself almost continuously grazing! But it’s this approach that can cause damage to your smile without you realising, thanks to the constant sugar intake.

“Contrary to what you might expect, it’s not the volume of sugar you consume that will damage your teeth, but the frequency that you eat it,” explains Dr Derek. “Every time you eat something sugary, the bacteria in your mouth will produce acids that can cause tooth decay. So, if you find yourself continually snacking, your teeth will be consistently producing this acid and creating a higher risk of decay.”

The recommended solution? It’s far better to binge on a stash of sweets in one go, rather than coming back to them in small portions during the day – consider this permission to polish off your sweet treats in one fell swoop.

Ice ice baby

With so many cocktails to enjoy, you’ll probably consume a lot of ice over the festive season – however, take care. Even your favourite cocktail can be a health risk! “Chewing on ice can create tooth fractures or even break teeth, particularly if you have any fillings or crowns,” Dr Derek explains. “And of course, if you have sensitive teeth, you might want to steer clear of ice as it can be painful on the tooth surface – pour your drink into a chilled glass instead.”

Prosecco problems

Any celebration wouldn’t be complete with a sip of fizz, and it makes any Christmas party go with a bang. But did you know that prosecco is actually one of the biggest risks to your teeth?

“Prosecco is actually one of the drinks that can do the most dental damage,” says Dr Derek. “Packed with acid, sugar and alcohol, prosecco can sit on the tooth’s surface and cause damage to the enamel. There’s actually a so-called phenomenon called ‘prosecco smile’ that frequent drinkers shown signs of. To avoid this, enjoy prosecco in moderation, sip through a straw if you can, and try to limit the risk of erosion by drinking water in between each glass of fizz.”

Another top tip – keep a cheeseboard handy, as a nibble of cheese can counteract the harmful acids building up. A great excuse for another slice of cheddar!

Minimise the mulled wine

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and the perfect time to sup on a few glasses of mulled wine. But this festive favourite can take its toll on your teeth, as Dr Derek warns:

“Mulled wine and red wine are both bad news for teeth. Mulled wine is both acidic and sugary, which means that it can erode teeth enamel, lead to lower levels of calcium and ultimately, weaken your teeth. In addition to this, dark wines like this contains tannins, which make the tooth enamel more porous, and more susceptible to staining.”