It’s holiday season on Kauai! Seems like it was just summer and now keiki have trick-or-treat candy, Thanksgiving pumpkin pies baking, and Christmas and New Year’s are right around the corner. A magical time of year on Kauai, no doubt, but the holidays can be humbug for our ohana’s dental health. We at Kalaheo Dental Group offer some tips for ensuring a healthy holiday season.
Keep your routine: From family feasts to late night parades and fireworks, it’s easy to get thrown off our regular routine. Add in holiday sweets, and this is perhaps the most important time of the year for keiki (and you) to brush twice a day, for two minutes.
Be picky if it’s sticky! We love our mochi, but starchy/sticky foods, even dried fruits, hang longer on teeth and cause more cavities. We’re not saying be a Grinch, but limit these foods and choose healthy snacks instead (hint: carrots = reindeer food!).
Drink water: Avoid sodas, sports drinks, and juices with lots of sugar. There’s plenty of sugar in everything else this season.
Don’t forget the dentist! The holidays can be a busy time, but if your ohana members are due for their teeth cleaning or need work done, don’t put it off.
Malama your mouth during holiday time and all year long because a healthy mouth means a healthy life!