How lovely is it that we have an entire holiday dedicated to love? While mostly associated with romantic love, people use Valentine’s Day as a time to show their love to their friends and family too. With so many treats and romances this time of year, why not take some Valentine’s Day tips for your teeth to heart? Your teeth deserve love too. And the better care you take of your teeth, the better you can feel about those goodies, and the more secure you can feel in the sweetness of your kisses. Here are some of our top Valentine’s Day tips for your teeth to ensure it’s as dreamy as possible.
#1. Indulge – In Moderation
Everyone loves treats on Valentine’s Day, and you may be expecting our Valentine’s Day tips for your teeth to be telling you to steer clear of them. Don’t worry, we get it – treats are wonderful, in moderation. They’re one of children’s favorite parts about the holidays, friends enjoy getting each other’s favorite candies, couples get each other chocolates. It wouldn’t be realistic of us to say you shouldn’t indulge in our Valentine’s Day tips for your teeth, because pretty much everyone does.
However, it is important to be mindful of your treats. Too much sugar and improper dental care can cause tooth decay. You don’t want to ruin a beautiful day by ending up with a cavity. You can have your cake and eat it too, just don’t have too much and be sure that you brush your teeth and floss well afterwards. Some treats are better for your teeth than others, so it would be amiss of us not to tell you which ones you should use more caution with in our top Valentine’s Day tips for your teeth.
Top treats for your teeth:
- Dark chocolate
- Strawberries
- Sugar-free gum
- Sugar-free candy
- Cheese and crackers
Treats to be mindful with:
- Sticky and chewy candies and foods
- Super sugary candies
- Hard candies
- Lollipops
- Wine, especially sparkling wines
#2. Whiten Your Teeth
The color of your teeth is something many people get self-conscious about and can lead you to feel uncomfortable with smiles that show your teeth, especially when it comes to dating. Whitening your teeth can give you a confidence boost through brightening your smile. Nothing’s more attractive than confidence, so if whitening your teeth will improve your self-esteem, the professionals at Avenues Dental can help you out with getting those pearly whites.
#3. Don’t Spread Your Cavities
Did you know that cavities can be contagious? Many people don’t and are shocked when they hear that the bacteria that can cause cavities can spread through kissing and sharing utensils. While it’s best to practice dental hygiene in order to prevent cavities as much as possible, if you have them, you should have them filled as soon as possible. Not only will this keep your teeth from decaying further, resulting in serious health problems over time, but it will make your kisses cleaner and sweeter.
#4. Freshen Your Breath
Bad breath can be a sign of poor oral hygiene, or it could just result from ingredients in tasty meals. Garlic and onions are two such culprits that are absolutely delicious, but make your breath absolutely reek. Sharing a meal is romantic, but bad breath? Not so much. You may consider keeping sugar-free gum and floss with you, to freshen up your breath after your meal. Plus, floss will clean between your teeth, preventing plaque and tooth decay. Win-win!
#5. Share The Love… Not Your Toothbrush
Whether you spend nights at each other’s places or you live together, sometimes couples will share their toothbrushes. Or perhaps, you don’t have a toothbrush at their place and you think it will be fine to just share theirs, if they offer it. However, sharing toothbrushes isn’t cute and a bonding method – it shares germs. You can share a lot in a relationship, but your toothbrush isn’t one of those things.
#6. Don’t Forget To Show Your Teeth Love Too
It’s not just your friends, family, and significant others who deserve love this Valentine’s Day. Your teeth do too! Of course one of our top Valentine’s Day tips for your teeth is to ensure that you’re taking proper care of them, for the good of your health and wellbeing. Nothing says self-love like doing whatever is in your power to keep yourself healthy, such as good oral hygiene.
Show love to your teeth this Valentine’s Day and all year round through brushing twice daily, flossing once daily, and going to your regular dental cleanings.
Avenues Dental offers dental cleanings and cosmetic dentistry to keep your teeth looking and being their best. Are you eyeing the teeth whitening part of our Valentine’s Day tips for your teeth? We offer teeth whitening. Do you have cavities you need to take care of? We can fill those for you. Regardless of whether you just need a dental cleaning or something more, our dentists are here to help. Contact us today to make your Valentine’s Day as magical as possible with proper oral care.
