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Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, which means spending time with family and friends and planning a turkey, stuffing, pies, and other delectable foods.

While we enjoy the holiday and its joy, many people overlook their dental health during the holiday season. 

But when you're working one of your temp dental jobs, your patients will likely bring up their Thanksgiving plans. And that's an excellent opportunity to pass along some Thanksgiving dental tips.

We've put together this list of oral hygiene tips to pass on to patients to make your job easier. We hope it's functional and can contribute to your role as an oral health educator for patients during the holiday season.

Let's get started . . . 

10 Thanksgiving Dental Tips to Share with Patients for Thanksgiving 

1. Limit Sticky Foods

The tendency of foods like cookies, pies, and gummies to stick to teeth prolongs the time sugar remains in a person's mouth and diminishes enamel.

Advise patients to avoid eating these things or eat them in moderation. 

Some of these sticky foods are a Thanksgiving staple and make the holiday special. 

So if they must have sticky foods, suggest that they spread their intake throughout the day. 

2. Cut down on Snacking

Cutting down on snacking can be difficult during Thanksgiving, especially with all the amazing food smells. 

What's the impact on the oral health of continuously snacking that you can let patients know? 

Continuously eating sweets throughout the day prevents teeth from ever getting a rest from the acid that bacteria produce in their mouth.

This ongoing acid exposure over time is a significant contributor to cavities. 

A piece of advice to pass on to patients during your work day: Avoid snacking on sweets between meals, and limit their food consumption to the three main meals.

3. Drink Plenty of Water

Did you know that dry mouth can be harmful to oral health? As a hygienist, you most likely do! But do your patients?

Suggesting to patients to keep hydrated to avoid developing dry mouth. Additionally, it is usually recommended to substitute water for other sugary beverages like soda and juice.

Why? 

In addition to keeping their body hydrated, water works well to keep bacteria from growing in their mouth. 

4. Brush and Floss

It should go without saying, but it's simple to get out of the habit of cleaning and flossing teeth regularly throughout the busy holiday season.

Suggest to your patients to schedule a time to brush their teeth at least twice daily, and if they are traveling for Thanksgiving, they might bring a travel brush and toothpaste.

5. Steer Clear of Sharp or Hard-Textured Foods

Sometimes a food item might be harmful because it might cut your mouth.

Warn your patients to look out for hard candy, nuts, chips, and turkeys, just to name a few. Share that they should be careful not to stab their gums when biting and eating or to have something hard stuck in their teeth, dentures, or braces. 

And no law says they can't add a flossing session or two after a meal if food particles are present after eating. 

6. Avoid Acidic Foods

Share with patients that it's best to avoid acidic meals since they may erode tooth enamel. You might also recommend drinking water and combining different food kinds to help wash the acid away. 

Items to avoid include wine, cranberry juice, and sauces. Anything citrus-flavored should be avoided too.

7. Limit their Consumption of Red Wine and Coffee

Another great suggestion is to stop drinking coffee and red wine. Even though these are some of the most popular holiday beverages, they are also some of the most damaging substances for their teeth.

Looking for some alternatives? Try these five teas that won't stain your teeth.

8. Eat Balanced Meals

Fruits and vegetables work as tools for cleaning their teeth, making them among the foods beneficial for their teeth.

Therefore, during the holidays, ask your patients to make an effort to balance their meals by adding veggies, fruits, grains, proteins, and other necessary items to their Thanksgiving meals. 

Take a look at these ten foods that actually clean teeth! 

9. Don't Chew Hard Foods

Warn your patients to avoid foods that can damage their teeth. Some foods to avoid chewing are popcorn, lemons, ice, and hard candies. These foods are strong enough to cause dental fractures in teeth. 

10. Tackle the Turkey

The turkey is the star of every Thanksgiving meal. Turkey is also good for your patients' teeth since it contains protein and B vitamins necessary for healthy bodily functions. Another benefit is that turkey has no carbohydrates, which means less sugary build-up on your patients' teeth.

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