We hope you are enjoying this Holiday season with one holiday down and two more major one's on the way here are some things to think about and some things to avoid an untimely emergency visit to our office.

1. Crack nuts with a nutcracker, not your teeth.  Many men, woman, and children crack their teeth over the holidays; thinking their teeth are made of steel.  Squirrels were made for that, not humans. Truth is, under that hard enamel shell is a very sensitive nerve running through a root surrounded by soft living tissue.  Crack the shell, and I'm not talking about the nut, and welcome pain.  Yes, cracking a tooth is an intensely painful experience resulting in the urgent need for a root canal and crown.  Be smart, save your teeth, use a nutcracker.

2. Beer bottles and teeth don't mix.  No beer is worth damaging your teeth over.  You might think that is silly, but it has happened.  A patient came in with a cracked front tooth.  He told us that he went to a party and he really wanted a beer…and now he has a dental implant and crown with a new smile.  This could have been avoided if only he carried a bottle opener on his keychain.

3. Skip the caramel balls.  We will say it again, skip the caramelized popcorn balls.  We know it's probably a family tradition, but unless your family is going to pay your dental bill when you accidentally munch too hard on a single unpopped kernel of popcorn and end up cracking the cusp of the tooth or crack or molar to the root then skip the caramels balls.

4. Brush and floss your teeth after every meal .  The single greatest cause of brush teeth dental decay is food (usually sugar) left on or around the tooth.  Brushing and flossing is an obvious solution, it removes excess food and cleans the surface of the tooth.  But who remembers to bring their toothbrush and dental floss to a Thanksgiving dinner party, other than dentists.  You do...or at least you should.  Swing by our office and we will give each of your family members a FREE toothbrush and floss.

5. Don't bite candy canes.  I know, it's not Christmas yet, but the day after Thanksgiving someone will whip out candy canes and start decorating your Christmas tree.  Don't give in to the temptation to bite down on that candy cane.  And just wait until next week when we blog about eating toffee with nuts. And last of all, and most importantly, be thankful for your teeth and a health smile.  And if you are not, give us a call and we will help you get a reason to smile.