Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, gratitude and, of course, plenty of great food. But between pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, stuffing and holiday treats, Thanksgiving can also be a challenging time for your teeth. Our Thanksgiving Dental Tips from Your Idaho Falls Dentist will help you navigate the season.
At Park West Dental Care in Idaho Falls, Idaho, we want our patients to enjoy the holiday while keeping their smiles healthy. The good news is that you don’t have to skip your favorite Thanksgiving foods to protect your teeth.
Here are some simple Thanksgiving dental tips from our Idaho Falls dental team, including the essential Thanksgiving Dental Tips from Your Idaho Falls Dentist, to help keep your teeth and gums healthy throughout the holiday season.
Thanksgiving Dental Tips from Your Idaho Falls Dentist
1. Enjoy the Thanksgiving Turkey
Turkey is actually one of the more tooth-friendly foods on the Thanksgiving table. It’s high in protein and naturally low in sugar.
However, turkey can easily get stuck between teeth. After your meal, floss carefully to remove food that brushing alone may not reach.
2. Limit Sugary Thanksgiving Foods
Pumpkin pie, pecan pie, cranberry sauce, candied yams and other Thanksgiving favorites can contain a lot of sugar.
You don’t have to give up dessert! Try enjoying sweets as part of your Thanksgiving meal rather than snacking on sugary foods throughout the day. This reduces how frequently your teeth are exposed to the acids produced by cavity-causing bacteria.
3. Drink Plenty of Water
One of the easiest ways to protect your teeth during the holidays is to drink plenty of water.
Water helps rinse away food particles and sugars while supporting saliva production, which naturally helps protect your teeth.
4. Be Careful With Hard Thanksgiving Foods
Hard nuts, popcorn kernels, hard candies, ice and turkey bones can potentially crack or chip a tooth.
Patients with crowns, large fillings, veneers or other dental restorations should be especially careful. And remember—never use your teeth to open bottles, packages or food containers!
5. Keep Brushing and Flossing
After a big Thanksgiving dinner, brushing your teeth may be the last thing on your mind, but don’t skip your normal oral hygiene routine.
Brush twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste and floss at least once each day. Flossing is especially important after holiday meals because it removes food and plaque from areas your toothbrush can’t easily reach.
6. Don’t Ignore Tooth Pain
Does that bite of pumpkin pie suddenly make a tooth hurt?
Sensitivity to sweets, hot foods or cold drinks can sometimes indicate an underlying dental problem. Pain when biting or chewing can also be a sign that a tooth needs attention.
If you’re experiencing a toothache, cracked tooth, lost filling, broken crown or another dental problem in Idaho Falls, contact Park West Dental Care.
7. Use Your Dental Benefits Before the End of the Year
Thanksgiving is also a reminder that the end of the year is quickly approaching.
Many dental insurance plans reset on January 1. Depending on your plan, unused dental benefits may not carry over into the new year.
If you’re overdue for a dental cleaning and exam in Idaho Falls or have treatment you’ve been postponing, now is a great time to schedule your appointment. December appointments can fill quickly, so don’t wait until the last few days of the year.
🦃 Want to Win a Thanksgiving Turkey?
We’re getting into the Thanksgiving spirit at Park West Dental Care, and we’re giving away two turkeys to help make the holiday a little more special!
Head over to our Facebook page to enter our Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway.
Simply find our turkey giveaway post, like the post, share it with someone who may need a little extra help this holiday season, and comment “Gobble Gobble” to enter.
And if you’re visiting Park West Dental Care for an appointment before the drawing, you’ll be automatically entered to win.
We’ll choose one winner online and one from our in-office entries.
It’s just one more way we can have a little fun and give back to our Idaho Falls community this Thanksgiving.
Looking for a Dentist in Idaho Falls?
Whether you need a routine dental cleaning, comprehensive exam, restorative treatment, cosmetic dentistry or help with an unexpected dental problem, Park West Dental Care provides dental care for individuals and families in Idaho Falls and the surrounding communities.
If you’ve been searching for a dentist in Idaho Falls, Idaho, an Idaho Falls family dentist, or a dental office that can care for your family’s ongoing dental needs, we’d love to welcome you.
Schedule your appointment with Park West Dental Care today and head into the holidays with a healthy smile.
From everyone at Park West Dental Care, we wish our patients, families and the entire Idaho Falls community a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!