Happy Holidays, from your friends at Hawkins Complete Dental Service!

We’re looking forward to seeing you and your family in Zanesville, OH after the holidays so you can start the new year with healthy smiles!

Here are some tips for how you can get from Christmas to New Year’s while keeping your teeth and gums healthy!

*Limit Sugar For Healthier Teeth*

Sugar is so threatening to your oral health because it’s responsible for a domino effect of problems for your teeth and gums.

It feeds harmful bacteria in your mouth, which spurs the creation of acids that eat holes through your tooth enamel, and the result is a cavity, or worse!

So how do you get through the holiday parties without indulging your sweet tooth here and there?

You don’t necessarily have to, as long as you practice moderation.

Cookies, pies, cakes, and candy are okay as long as you limit your consumption, rinse your mouth with water afterward, and stick to your oral hygiene regimen despite the changes to the rest of your daily routine this time of year.

*Don’t Take Holiday Stress Out On Your Teeth*

With so much going on this time of year, it’s not uncommon to feel more stressed than usual.

We all carry stress in different places throughout our bodies, but a common area that gets an unfair amount of pressure is your mouth.

You might clench your jaw, grind your teeth, and feel the tension spread to your face, neck, and shoulders.

This can create dental problems like chipped, cracked, teeth, premature wear, and bite problems. It’s important find time to do things you enjoy to help you manage all the stress, things that help you unwind. Give yourself permission to escape the madness of the holiday season so it doesn’t take its toll on your teeth.

*Match The Right Tool To The Task*

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but sometimes it feels more fitting to admit it’s the busiest time of the year!

The to-do list leading to the end of the year can seem endless, but don’t let yourself be in such a hurry to tie up loose ends that you mismatch the tools to the tasks.

In other words, tempting as it is, don’t use your teeth to cut, tear, crack, or rip anything that isn’t food! It doesn’t take much to chip tooth enamel on objects that aren’t supposed to come in contact with your teeth to begin with.

Use the appropriate tools for wrapping or opening presents, not your teeth!

Visit Us After The Holidays!

We wish you and your family happy holidays and healthy smiles!

Visit us after the new year for a deep cleaning and thorough exam so we can make sure everything with your oral health is on track for 2019!

To schedule an appointment at Hawkins Complete Dental Service, call our Zanesville, OH office today at 740-214-1301 or fill out our convenient online form.