Picture after tasty picture will slide past your eyes on Pinterest this holiday season. 0 calorie, fat-free, no consequence pictures… or are they?

The downside to these images is that each one is a link to an equally mouth-watering recipe. If you’ve been scrolling through Pinterest, pinning new holiday recipes, chances are you’re going to try a few out. I don’t mean to say that there’s anything wrong with Pinterest, holiday recipes or even trying a few out, but depending on the number of rich and or savory recipes you try, there can be a huge impact on your teeth.

Pinteresting Holiday Recipes

Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Years Eve are just a few of the amazing reasons people flock to Pinterest, via their phones and computers, this time of year. You’ll also need treats for family, company, and school parties and there’s no place better to add new treats to your repertoire than Pinterest. You can create boards to reference the dishes you want to try, you can even upload your own creations for others to enjoy. Pinterest really is the gift that keeps on giving, but you know what they say about having too much of a good thing…

Stained Teeth

Fall and winter colors make beautiful decorations for your home and dining room table, but not for your teeth! The rich foods that we are expected to make and are so hard to turn down when others make them for us, can really take a toll on our teeth. Combined with your mouth’s enamel etching acids, sugary and savory foods can change the color and the structural integrity of your smile. Does that mean that you should turn off your phone, close your doors and avoid the holidays? Not at all, in fact, here are a few tips to help your teeth survive Pinterest this holiday season.

Protecting Your Teeth from the Pictures You’ve Pinned

In order to protect your smile from your Pinterest holiday board this season, we’ve put together these tips:

Brushing at the right time

Make sure you brush at least twice a day, but not right after eating candy, treats or rich foods. It will take a little time for your mouth to process the sugars etc. from sweets you eat. The best way to help it along is to drink a lot of water after your snack or meal, and wait 30 minutes before brushing your teeth.

Limiting sweet drinks

Sodas and Eggnog will not only coat your teeth but will also react with the acids and bacteria in your mouth to eat away at your enamel and replace it with plaque. In addition to keeping these drinks to a minimum, you can rinse your mouth with lots of water and brush and floss a few times a day.

Ingredients to eat before brushing

So far, we’ve listed the “To-Don’ts” The things that you can eat to improve your smile include cheese, carrots, celery, apples and other natural crunchy foods. These can help neutralize the acidity in your mouth and clear away buildup.

Schedule your Recovery Cleaning

When the feeding season is over, call us to set up your families cleanings, because despite your best efforts, the holidays will take a toll on your teeth, and we can help prevent further damage.

Happy Holidays and keep Pinning!