This Holi, don't ignore oral health. Stay hydrated, follow the dental-care anthem to keep bad breath away

Holi, the festival of colours, is here, and the new normal has changed the way one would enjoy the festivities.

Holi celebrations this time will be held cautiously, but that won’t stop one from indulging in delectable desserts and snacks. It is crucial to take care of ones oral health, especially during festivals like Holi.

Here are a few simple tips to maintain dental hygiene during this festive season:


Enjoy the meals with caution
Any festival is incomplete without the delicious festive food. It is practically a ritual to have different types of sweets, and fried snacks or savouries. While giving in to the food temptation is normal, one should make sure that they don't neglect the basics when it comes to oral health. Skipping the brush-time at night is one of the most common mistakes, especially during the festivities. It can lead to various dental issues if not addressed in time. Avoid oily, sugary and acidic food items, as well as limit the intake of aerated drinks. It is also recommended to brush your teeth twice, and rinse the mouth with a mouthwash to ward off potential oral-health issues.

Make your breath festive ready
Having a foul breath is a sign of bad oral hygiene, and with the new normal of wearing masks, it is even more important to maintain good oral hygiene. Preventive measures should be taken to have a pleasant breath.

When gorging on food during festivities, a few particles can get stuck between the teeth, resulting in bad breath. One should follow this routine as an anthem – brush, floss and rinse - to make sure that the mouth is clean. Festival or not, brush at least twice a day followed by rinsing with a mouthwash that contains one of these essential ingredients - menthol eucalyptol, thymol or oil of wintergreen - which can result in a germ-free mouth with a fresh breath. However, be mindful. Do not gargle the mouthwash in the throat, only use it to rinse the mouth. It is best to use the mouthwash as per the manufacturer’s guidelines. These three simple steps will ensure your breath is festive ready.

Don’t forget your tongue
Tongue harbours germs and needs cleaning too. An unclean tongue not only causes foul smell, but can also trigger oral infections. One should clean the tongue from back to front regularly, using a tongue scraper or a toothbrush with a tongue cleaner.

Have a sugar-free chewing gum
Another way to get fresh breath is by having sugar-free mints. Chewing-gums invite good bacteria in the mouth and produce saliva to help prevent, tooth decay, bad breath and gum problems.

Watch out for teeth stains
Common reasons for stains on teeth can be due to habits like smoking, chewing paan or betal leaf, consuming excessive aerated drinks or beverages like tea and coffee. It is always advisable to control the intake, especially during festivities, as stained teeth leave a bad impression. Excess of consumption of tea, coffee or aerated drinks can lead to problems of bad breath, bleeding from gums as well as sensitivity of the tooth.

Stay hydrated
One major problem everyone experiences during the festive season is forgetting to stay hydrated. At these unprecedented times when maintaining health is important, drinking water shouldn't be neglected even if it is amidst celebrations. Drinking plenty of water at regular intervals produces enough saliva in the mouth, which is an essential part of keeping the gums and teeth healthy. It also keeps the body and skin healthy.

(The author is Periodontist and Implantologist, President Elect of Indian Society of Periodontology)

Sweet Overdose During Festivals? 5 Oral Care Tips For Healthy Teeth

1/6

Gorging on delicious, home-made sweets is the main highlight during festivals. However, the excessive indulgence can sometimes take a toll on our teeth causing tooth sensitivity, caries and other oral health-related problems. You don't have to go for a sweet detox, or avoid desserts.

Dr Ajay Kakkar, BDS, MDS - Periodontology and Oral Implantology, Dentist, Periodontist, Implantologist, shares a few simple measures that can ensure your teeth are fine to enjoy the sweet treats.

Gorging on delicious, home-made sweets is the main highlight during festivals. However, the excessive indulgence can sometimes take a toll on our teeth causing tooth sensitivity, caries and other ora..

Read More

While you treat yourselves to gujiyas and malpuas, it is important to ensure you brush and floss your teeth atleast twice a day. When you forget to brush, the sugary components remain stuck on your teeth for a long period, and may lead to cavity.

While you treat yourselves to gujiyas and malpuas, it is important to ensure you brush and floss your teeth atleast twice a day. When you forget to brush, the sugary components remain stuck on your ..

Read More

Avoid food items that are high on artificial colouring and preservatives. They stain your teeth and the acids in the preservatives promote bacteria. If you feel that your teeth are stained and you want to keep those stains away, you could switch to whitening toothpaste, readily available in the market.

Avoid food items that are high on artificial colouring and preservatives. They stain your teeth and the acids in the preservatives promote bacteria. If you feel that your teeth are stained and you w..

Read More

Enjoying festivals without delicious sweets is unimaginable. Indulging in hordes of sweet treats may sometimes give a short sharp twinge on your tooth. This could be sensitivity. Simply switching to tooth sensitivity toothpaste can let you enjoy the treats without worrying about sensitivity.

Enjoying festivals without delicious sweets is unimaginable. Indulging in hordes of sweet treats may sometimes give a short sharp twinge on your tooth. This could be sensitivity. Simply switching to..

Read More

Keep yourself hydrated. Drink a lot of water and fresh juices in small intervals. Particularly, drink lot of water before snacks and meals. This gives you a feeling of fullness and prevents you from over-indulging on snacks. Also, drink water after meals as it helps flush off the food residue, clean your mouth and avoid plaque formation on your teeth.

Keep yourself hydrated. Drink a lot of water and fresh juices in small intervals. Particularly, drink lot of water before snacks and meals. This gives you a feeling of fullness and prevents you from..

Read More

Sweets are sticky, which leads to tooth caries which can also result in sensitive teeth. Sweets don't cause tooth decay. At times, even rinsing the mouth is not sufficient to get rid of the sugary remains in the mouth. Eating desserts before meals would help in reducing the risk of the teeth related problems.

Sweets are sticky, which leads to tooth caries which can also result in sensitive teeth. Sweets don't cause tooth decay. At times, even rinsing the mouth is not sufficient to get rid of the sugary r..

Read More

See More Slideshows