Judging by the high streets, many of our dental practice patients will be out buying Christmas food and presents over the next few days and weeks. There is a lot to do at this time of the year and having to think what to buy for people can be quite frustrating, especially for those who are difficult to buy for anyway.
The closer it gets to Christmas, perhaps the more likely it is that they are going to end up with chocolates or something similar. This isn’t terrible in itself although most of us will eat far too many of those, and other sugary treats over the festive period. Instead then, why not buy them something that will actually be beneficial to their oral health, or at least, not so damaging?
There are probably plenty of other options, especially in the food and treats department, but these are some of the suggestions offered by the dentists at Blake Dental which we hope you will find useful.
It is now widely accepted that electric toothbrushes are generally better at cleaning your teeth and gums than a manual brush. This is at least partially due to the rotating bristles which do much of the ‘leg work’ of the brushing. They are especially useful for older people and those with less mobility. Kids also tend to like them more due to the way that they feel in the mouth. You can also get them with novelty children’s cartoon characters etc. This is a great way to get your kids off to a good start in looking after their teeth and gums well.
These are ideal for the person, or persons, who swears that there is no way that they can use dental floss as it is much too fiddly. As we know, flossing between the teeth helps to remove much food and bacteria that would otherwise collect there as the toothbrush bristles don’t easily reach into those spaces. A water flosser, or water pik as they are also sometimes called, works by firing fine jets of water between the teeth to remove this debris instead. Regular dental floss is cheaper and probably more effective but this can be an acceptable substitute for those who simply won’t floss.
Instead of buying sweets for someone, why not buy the cheese lover a selection of different cheeses. These are widely available in supermarkets in and around Witham, or you could perhaps ask your local cheese shop to make up a selection for you to make the present more unique. You can choose a wide range of cheeses, from the mildest and creamiest to the more challenging for many of us, strong and ‘stinky’ cheeses. Not only will this reduce the amount of sugar eaten over Christmas, but if eaten after a meal, the cheese will help to balance the acidity in your mouth and help to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Sugar free treats and chocolates are not just for diabetics. Over the years, a wider and better selection of these are now available. We know that most of you (and probably us) will eat far too many sweets and chocolates over Xmas and the new year, so alternating these with sugar free treats can only be a good thing.
For those looking for a more expensive and special gift, why not treat someone close to you to a teeth whitening procedure in the new year? This is a long lasting treatment that is non-invasive too and therefore suitable even for nervous dental patients. You can even spread the payment out using one of our convenient payment plans. This may not turn out to be a one off white smile either. Many people who have this treatment for the first time are so delighted with the result that they repeat the treatment once the effect begins to fade.
If you know somebody who travels a lot, why not consider buying them a dental travel kit? A ‘ready to go’ kit can include a toothbrush, charger (if electric), floss, toothpaste and perhaps an emergency repair kit if they travel to more remote locations where dental care may not be readily available. This will save them the problem of getting all of this together and avoid forgetting their toothbrush altogether!
In addition to these exampls of course, there are plenty of others, but if you’re struggling for ideas in the first instance, hopefully our suggestions above will help.
If you would like to discuss offering a teeth whitening treatment for a gift, or to contact us for an appointment, please contact Blake Dental by calling us on 01376 501688.
