Acid reflux can cause painful and frustrating symptoms such as a feeling of burning in the
stomach, chest, or throat—also called heartburn—and indigestion, or pain in the upper
abdomen.

Unfortunately, acid reflux can have detrimental effects on your smile. How can you stop this
condition from affecting your teeth and gums during the holiday?

Understanding the Effects of Acid Reflux on Your Smile

Since acid reflux causes stomach acids to end up in the esophagus, traces of these acids are also
likely to end up in the oral cavity. These acids are extremely corrosive to tooth enamel. Even if
you have an otherwise healthy smile, the acids involved in GERD can quickly eat away at tooth
enamel, leaving your teeth sensitive and more prone to decay.

While brushing your teeth sounds like it would be the best solution to combating the effects of
acid reflux, this isn’t true. Brushing your teeth while acids have had a chance to attack tooth
enamel actually make it more likely that your tooth enamel will get brushed away. Enamel is
porous and will become softer and more likely to be removed when acid is present.

When You Should Be Concerned

Acid reflux is a concern for people who either do not realize they have the disorder or do not
manage it properly. Treating your acid reflux is going to be key to keeping those harsh acids out
of your mouth and in your stomach where they belong.

Without treatment, acid reflux has the potential to continue to cause your smile irreparable
harm. Once tooth enamel has been removed, it can’t be replaced, although your dentist can
help you manage your tooth sensitivity and missing enamel to help prevent decay.

What You Can Do About It

Your first step is going to be treating your acid reflux, for which you can visit your primary care
physician. Your acid reflux may have an underlying cause that needs to be addressed to correct
the problem, or the condition may be chronic and need to be managed.

Regardless, don’t give up hope. Your doctor can help you come up with a plan to address your
GERD and curb your symptoms while your dentist can help you care for your smile and get your
teeth and gums back on track. You don’t have to let acid reflux ruin your smile this holiday!

When it comes to acid reflux, time is of the essence. Waiting to get your symptoms evaluated
isn’t doing your smile any favors. If you believe you’re suffering from GERD, get your symptoms
evaluated by a doctor and get your smile checked out by a dentist. You can recover from this
and your smile can too!

The post Heartburn and Indigestion: Protect Your Smile This Holiday Season appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Although lots of food will be available, it’s important to still eat well in order to maintain your healthy smile. Sweets in moderation are fine, but avoid constantly snacking on sweet treats or sipping on sweet drinks. The longer your teeth are exposed to sugar, the more damage your teeth can incur.

It can feel difficult to be choosy about foods during a time when you have so many options—but you can help your body and your smile by still eating healthy. If you want to sip on sweet drinks, using a straw can help the sugary liquid to bypass your teeth, therefore limiting your exposure!

Water Is Your Friend

Not only does water help combat sugar’s effect on your teeth, but it can also prevent the staining that comes with drinking red wine or coffee. Staying hydrated also helps to keep your mouth’s vital oral bacteria in balance, therefore reducing your risk for cavities!

If you’re eating sugary foods or drinking sugary drinks, try to sip on water while doing so. Rinsing with water after consuming sugar can help hugely, as it prevents sugar from clinging to your teeth and damaging your enamel. If you’re drinking wine, remember that red wine can stain your teeth significantly more than white. Drinking water can help to minimize staining of your teeth and damage from the acidic alcohol.

Keep to a Routine

As busy as things can get during the holidays, don’t skip brushing or flossing just because you’re short on time. Always make it a habit to brush in the morning and brush and floss before bed. Keep a travel toothbrush in your bag and some floss just in case you forget these items while traveling or end up spending the night at a relative’s house.

If you can’t brush for whatever reason, keep a pack of sugar-free gum sweetened with xylitol with you. Chewing on gum sweetened with xylitol can help increase saliva flow, therefore helping to reduce bad bacteria and prevent cavities. Keeping to a routine during the holidays isn’t only comforting, it benefits your smile as well!

Be Prepared

Always be safe with your teeth—remember that they are not meant to open packages or crack nuts. Your beautiful smile needs to last you for life, so treat them with care and take care of them. You can be prepared for any type of dental emergency by asking your dentist for an emergency referral before the holidays. This way, should something happen, you’ll have an expert to look after your smile despite the fact that many offices are closed during the holidays.

This holiday season, you can protect your smile and keep it healthy with these easy tips. Simply by eating healthy, drinking enough water, and keeping to a routine, you can show people your beautiful pearly whites all holiday season long. Impress your dentist in the New Year by taking care of your smile during the holidays!

The post Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Smile During the Holiday Season appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

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