Christmas is party season – are you ready?

Christmas time, mistletoe and wine…

You’re singing the song, but are you actually ready for the festivities? Follow our top 10 tips and we’ll have you looking gorgeous for your mistletoe moment, as well as dodging the discolouring dangers of wine!

1. Prepare

• Make smiling a breeze (literally)
The best way to begin any party prep regimen in with a good teeth cleaning. AirFlow air polishing takes your typical hygienist visit to the next level, blasting plaque, tartar and stains off your teeth with a fine and surprisingly gentle stream of air, water and powder. Not only does air polishing clean your teeth better than a regular scale and polish, but it leaves them whiter and less sensitive, as the powder used fills in tiny gaps in your dentine. This also helps shore them up against any damage the festivities might fling at them!

• Don’t merely dream of a white Christmas
Get ready for those holidays snaps with a professional teeth-whitening treatment. Dentist-prescribed teeth whitening is a safe and effective way to get your teeth dramatically whiter than they’ve ever been. With convenient options to choose from, including in-surgery or at-home whitening, you’re sure to find one that suits you and gets your smile selfie-ready in time for Santa.

• Cover up
Another quick and easy way to makeover your smile in time for the festive season is with veneers. Like false fingernails for your teeth, veneers cover a multitude of minor imperfections, such as cracks, stains, gaps and misalignment. And the best news is that, with care, they can last for years to come!

• Pressure-proof your smile
Travelling over Christmas? Make sure you get your teeth checked before you go, as any unresolved dental problems may be exacerbated by changes in air pressure such as when you fly, if you visit a high-altitude destination (skiing, anyone?) or, contrariwise, if you plunge under the sea in SCUBA gear.

• Put your best face forward
Want to truly turn heads at the New Year’s party? If you’ve been postponing having anti-ageing treatment, now is the time! Refreshing your look can be as easy as popping in on your lunch hour. You’ll look refreshed and no one will quite know why. Non-surgical facial aesthetic treatments, such as botulinum toxin and dermal fillers, can be used to reduce and prevent future wrinkles, smoothing and minimising any visible lines.

2. Protect

• Sideline the wine
We all have a friend whose teeth turn purple when they’re drinking red wine, but actually red wine (like coffee and tea) stains everyone’s teeth in the long term. And if you think white wine is a good alternative, think again – white wine is more acidic than red and erodes your tooth enamel. Your safest bet? Water (still, not sparkling) but, if you’re not keen to replace wine with water, at least follow wine with water to help rinse away the acid.

• Resist temptation
Sweet treats such as Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and the ubiquitous mince pies abound, but they’re a dental nightmare. Beyond the high sugar content, they contain dried fruits that stick to teeth and can wreak havoc, particularly if you’re grazing on them throughout the holidays. We’re not saying don’t indulge, but try to keep it to a minimum and only at mealtimes, followed by a good drink of water to rinse the sugars off your teeth afterwards.

• Stop, don’t pop!
Gourmet popcorns are all the rage, and a popular party treat, but beware! They’re also responsible for a rise in emergency dental visits, due to chipped and/or cracked teeth and crowns. The husks of the kernels get lodged between teeth or under the gum line, potentially loosening crowns and leading to tooth decay, inflammation or even abscesses. Un-popped kernels, lurking at the bottom of the bowl, are especially dangerous, as they’re very hard to chew and can crack teeth.

• Ditch the party tricks
You may laugh when Mike opens his beer bottle with his teeth at the office party, and perhaps you might even be tempted to give it a try yourself. Don’t! You could end up with a cracked, broken or even knocked-out tooth. Is it worth it?

• Don’t ditch your hygiene
We all lose track of routine over the holidays, as our workday schedules are put on hold. Enjoy the down-time, but don’t forget to brush (twice) and floss daily. With the inevitable over-indulgence, your oral hygiene is more important than ever!

Ultimately, all of your party prep starts right here at The Dental Surgery and Refresh My Smile. Get in touch today we’ll have you glittering in your glad rags in plenty of time for the big night!