Holiday parties? Keep your breath sparkling fresh and your smile shining bright

It’s that time of year again – holiday parties, social occasions galore and, of course, mistletoe! Get ready to pucker up for the holidays with a shiny, bright smile and sparkling fresh breath. Follow these tips for a healthy mouth for the holiday season and all year.

Start with the basics

Brushing your teeth two to three minutes at least twice a day and flossing daily are the foundation for a healthy, bright smile and fresh breath. Brushing and flossing remove plaque and food debris that can cause tooth decay and bad breath.

Tip for fresh breath: When you brush your teeth, add an extra step to your routine and brush or scrape your tongue. This will remove any residue that may be building up between the taste buds and folds in the tongue. You can buy a tongue scraper especially for this task, or you can use your toothbrush.

Healthy holiday snacks

This year at holiday parties instead of (or in addition to) the sweet treats, cakes and cookies, munch on a carrot, a stick of celery or an apple. Snacks of crispy, fresh fruits and vegetables help clean stickier foods and plaque off your teeth, while stepping up your saliva flow to help wash away bacteria from teeth, tongue and gums that can cause bad breath.

Tip for fresh breath: Chew on some garnish! You may find garnishes of parsley or mint on a holiday platter. Parsley is a breath-saver because it contains chlorophyll, a known breath deodorizer. Chewing on a few raw mint leaves will freshen your breath in a jiffy.

Drink to your health

If you want to keep your smile bright, you should avoid drinking soda, black tea, coffee and red wine, which can stain your teeth. If you do drink these, you can use a straw to prevent discoloration of the upper front teeth or you can rinse your mouth with water immediately after consuming these beverages.

Tip for fresh breath: Drink water instead! Water won’t stain your teeth and it helps keep bad breath under control because it washes away food particles and bacteria, the primary cause of bad breath. In addition, it helps you avoid “dry mouth,” another cause of bad breath, by staying well-hydrated. You might also try drinking green tea: according to a study by the University of Illinois at Chicago, rinsing your mouth with green tea suppresses the growth of bacteria that cause mouth odor.

Quick party freshen-ups

Some mouth rinses or breath fresheners may actually worsen a bad breath problem by irritating oral tissue with their high alcohol content. For an emergency freshen-up, try a quick rinse with a mix of water and a few drops of peppermint oil. Or, you can eat a piece of sugarless candy or chew sugarless gum. Sucking on a piece of sugarless candy or chewing sugarless gum stimulates saliva flow, which will help to wash away food debris and bacteria that cause bad breath.

If you follow these tips throughout the holiday season, you may find that not only will you enjoy your holiday festivities confident in your bright smile and sparkling fresh breath, but also that you have improved your oral health for the coming new year.

Some information courtesy of the Academy of General Dentistry.

The oral health information on this website is intended for educational purposes only. You should always consult a licensed dentist or other qualified health care professional for any questions concerning your oral health.