Have You Been Naughty or Nice to Your Teeth?

It’s not easy to stay healthy during the holidays. Sweets seem to
appear everywhere you go, and with all of the present-wrapping and
card-writing, there’s not much time to devote to you and your family’s
health and well-being. Luckily, Hermey the Elf, best known for his
adventures with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, joined forces with the
American Dental Association (ADA) to come up with tips for keeping your
mouth and teeth healthy during the holidays.

In the classic holiday movie, Hermey dreamed of becoming a dentist
and helping people keep their teeth healthy. In 2014, the ADA awarded
Hermey with a Dental Do Gooder (DDG) for his passion for dentistry. This
year, Hermey and the ADA came up with a set of tips to help families
keep their smiles in tip-top shape.

✓ Have a routine. Hermey always brushes his teeth
two times a day, for two minutes, and you should too! It’s what keeps
your mouth healthy in December and all year long. Make sure to use a
fluoride toothpaste that has earned the ADA Seal of Acceptance.

✓ Choose the carrots. (That means you, Santa!)
Cookies and sweets are nice holiday treats, but instead of reaching for
another candy cane, take a cue from Rudolph and eat the carrots.

✓ Don’t forget the dentist! The holidays can be a
busy time, but that doesn’t mean you can forget about your teeth. If you
are due for a teeth cleaning or need work done, don’t forget to visit
your dentist in December.

✓ Drink water. You need a lot of energy for holiday
activities, but avoid drinking sodas, sports drinks and juices with lots
of sugar. Instead, drink water with fluoride in it to keep your teeth
strong and healthy.

✓ Protect your teeth. Wear a mouthguard whenever you play sports – or reindeer games – this winter.

source: mouthhealthy.org website