Nice Teeth Aren’t An Accident

Posted on: 29 December 2016

Christmas is often called the most wonderful time of the year, but it is less than great for a person's overall oral health. Christmas can actually lead to serious oral health problems that make surgery, such as dental implants, necessary.

Christmas Has A Long History Of Sugary Foods

When people think of Christmas foods, they likely think of sugary items such as candy canes, cherries, cookies, pies, puddings, fruitcakes, gingerbread, stuffed dates, or even egg nog. These foods have been cooked for centuries around Christmastime, and while they are definitely delicious, they are typically very high in sugar.

While eating foods high in sugar may temporarily increase a person's mood (leading to the Christmas happiness many experience), it does a serious number on a person's teeth. Heavy concentrations of sugary Christmas food may actually lead to serious damage that can threaten their overall oral health.

That Sugar Can Seriously Damage Teeth

The major problem with eating foods high in sugar is that they will create a fertile breeding ground for bacteria. Nothing will promote faster bacteria growth in the mouth, giving them the energy they need to spread rapidly through the mouth and begin creating dangerous plaque buildups across the teeth.

Even though a person could brush their teeth regularly when eating these foods, they aren't likely to get rid of all of the sugar lingering about in their mouth. As a result, they are in dangerous of developing serious rotting that may cause a person to lose one tooth or even more.

Oral Surgery May Be Necessary

Oral decay has a way of spreading rapidly and being very difficult to stop. Even cleaning a mouth of plaque won't prevent an already rotting tooth from continuing to decay. Once it gets sick enough, it may be necessary to remove it to protect the health of the rest of the teeth. Oral surgery like this is typically necessary in a variety of situations.

For example, dental implants may be necessary if a person loses several teeth. These implants help recreate the shape of a person's mouth and help protect their oral health. Other types of oral surgery, such as gum surgery, may also be necessary thanks to the heavy sugary foods of Christmas.

While a few days of eating sugary foods may not seem like a serious problem, it can quickly become one if people aren't careful with their oral health. Managing these problems requires managing the intake of sugar in a diet and carefully brushing their teeth every day.