The holiday season is a wonderful time of year to get together with friends and family, watch all your favorite Christmas movies snuggled up under a blanket and have an excuse to do absolutely nothing.

But it can also mean overindulgence, food comas and an insatiable desire for tempting seasonal delights. From your mom’s perfectly baked pumpkin pie to the never-ending sweet supply of eggnog cocktails, it really is like heaven for your taste buds. For your teeth and gums, however, it’s an eroding nightmare.

But don’t worry! We have some great tips on how to get your teeth and gums back in shape and give you that extra spring in your step for the next year ahead.

1. Load up on fruits, veggies and healthy fats

One of the biggest reasons for tooth decay, and in fact any other unwanted bodily condition is due to vitamin and mineral deficiency. We need a nutrient-rich diet in order for our body to function properly.

Leafy greens, fruit rich in vitamin C, fish, nuts and dairy are packed full of essential vitamins and minerals that are crucial for maintaining strong healthy teeth. Especially calcium and phosphorous, which can be found in almost all vegetables and dairy products.

2. Eliminate sugar

Another major reason for tooth decay is caused by the build-up of bacteria in your mouth caused by consuming too much sugar. The acids in bacteria literally erode tooth enamel in a process called demineralization.

The good news is that our saliva continuously helps to remineralize tooth enamel by flushing out acids and excess sugars. The calcium and phosphorus that are naturally present in our saliva help tremendously in strengthening our teeth from ‘acid attacks.’

But we must first prevent these ‘acid attacks’ from happening in the first place by limiting, or even better, eradicating our sugar intake!

3. Tongue scraping

The fastest, easiest and cheapest way to get those nasty toxins out of your mouth is with this considerably underrated, ancient Ayurvedic technique of tongue scraping.

Tongue scraping clears toxins and bacteria from your tongue, removing soft plaque that causes bad breath and tooth decay whilst also significantly improving your sense of taste.

And it’s not the same as using your toothbrush to clean your tongue, which won’t remove the micro-organisms properly. Nothing gets the unwanted gunk off your tongue like a tongue scraper. Try it and see.

4. Dip your Toothbrush in Peroxide

Isabelle Dunkeson, the creator of Good-Gums exclaims, “you don’t eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the same knife and fork, rinse it off and stick it in a cup do you?” Toothbrushes harbor bacteria. Everytime you brush your teeth you introduce bacteria into your mouth, which can cause all kinds of oral problems as well as prolonging the duration of common illnesses such as colds and stomach bugs. 

We recommend that either you keep a glass of over-the-counter 3% hydrogen peroxide by your sink and after each use leave your toothbrush in it, replenishing the peroxide every few days OR clean your toothbrush once a week by leaving it in the peroxide for at least 5 minutes before rinsing it off. Don’t be alarmed if the first time you do this, you hear it sizzling! That’s the sound of germs exterminating!

5. Drink more Water

Water is your mouth’s biggest saviour! Your salivary glands secrete up to one and a half liters of saliva a day so you need to be drinking enough water to make sure your teeth and gums are continuously washed with replenishing saliva. This regular replenishing keeps plaque at bay and prevents other oral ailments.

Keeping your body hydrated helps transport vital nutrients around your body helping you stay happy and healthy! We recommend you drink at least 3 liters a day so try and remember to keep a bottle with you at all times!

6. Give up Glycerin

Most toothpaste, including the expensive and organic sort from health food stores, contain glycerin, which is the substance used to create that smooth sticky consistency we are all used to. But glycerin actually stops nature from working and creates an invisible coating that doesn’t let your teeth absorb the beneficial vitamins and nutrients from your food.

If you are considering going natural for 2018 then you must try our 100% natural, vitamin and mineral rich tooth-powder, which is completely free of all toxins and chemicals and works in harmony with your body, letting nature do the work!