{"id":1105,"date":"2019-12-14T15:53:45","date_gmt":"2019-12-14T15:53:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/?p=1105"},"modified":"2020-01-10T15:55:01","modified_gmt":"2020-01-10T15:55:01","slug":"the-5-best-smile-safe-traveling-tips-for-the-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/the-5-best-smile-safe-traveling-tips-for-the-holidays\/","title":{"rendered":"The 5 Best Smile-Safe Traveling Tips for the Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"283\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/AdobeStock_34538340-283x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Healthy tooth in holiday hat\" class=\"wp-image-1106\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/AdobeStock_34538340-283x300.jpeg 283w, https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/AdobeStock_34538340-768x814.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/AdobeStock_34538340-967x1024.jpeg 967w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 283px) 100vw, 283px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>AAA reports that a record-breaking 112.5 million Americans\nwill be traveling by plane, train, and car this holiday season. Are you one of\nthem? Unfortunately, somewhere between packing bags and wrapping presents\ndental health can get left out in the cold. With an abundance of sugary treats,\nholiday parties, and crazy schedules, this season can be a difficult time of year\nfor your teeth. If you\u2019re travelling for the holidays, avoid a trip to your\nemergency dentist and protect that holly, jolly smile with these 5 tips!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Be Prepared<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter when you\u2019re traveling, it\u2019s always a good idea to\nbe prepared for everything! Make sure your packing list includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A toothbrush you can easily reach while\ntraveling.<\/li><li>Toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash.<\/li><li>The phone number of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/emergency-dentistry.html\">emergency\ndentist<\/a>, just in case. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Snack Smart<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With nearly 1.76 billion candy canes alone made each year,\nit may feel nearly impossible to avoid seasonal sugary treats. Instead, enjoy\nhealthier snacks like vegetables and cheese that can help you fight off\ncavities. If you do choose to indulge, go for sugar-free gum or dark chocolate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stay Hydrated<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep a water bottle handy as you travel during the holidays.\nDehydration will give you a dry mouth, which is a great place for\ncavity-causing bacteria to grow. Drinking plenty of water will:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Wash away any lingering sugars or bacteria.<\/li><li>Strengthen and protect your enamel.<\/li><li>Encourage the production of saliva, your body\u2019s\nnatural mouthwash.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don\u2019t Use Teeth as Tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though you\u2019re excited to tear apart those Christmas\ngifts or open that bottle of holiday wine, don\u2019t use your teeth to do it! Your\nteeth are designed to bite and tear food only. If you use them to open bottles\nor plastic containers, you can easily chip, crack, or fracture your teeth. So\nslow down, enjoy the moment, and grab the bottle opener or scissors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Relax for the Sake of Your Teeth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re traveling a long way, surviving a family\ngathering, or trying to find the perfect present, the holidays can be a\nstressful time of year. Stress can cause some people to develop a condition\ncalled bruxism, where they grind their teeth in their sleep. This quickly wears\ndown the enamel, potentially causing headaches and broken teeth! Be sure that\nyou\u2019re taking time to relax during the festivities and wear a nightguard if you\nhave bruxism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t let a dental emergency ruin your holiday season as you\ntravel! Use these 5 easy tips to keep a happy, healthy, holiday smile\nthroughout the season!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Dr. J. Peter St. Clair has been providing preventive,\nrestorative, and cosmetic dentistry to the Rowley area since 1996. He is a\ngraduate of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and holds memberships in\nthe American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, Massachusetts\nDental Society, and more. He strives to help his patients build and maintain\nbeautiful, healthy smiles that last all year long. If you\u2019d like to know more,\nhe can be contacted at his <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/contact.html\"><em>website<\/em><\/a><em>\nor at <strong>(978) 948-2030. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>AAA reports that a record-breaking 112.5 million Americans will be traveling by plane, train, and car this holiday season. Are you one of them? Unfortunately, somewhere between packing bags and wrapping presents dental health can get left out in the cold. With an abundance of sugary treats, holiday parties, and crazy schedules, this season can be a difficult time of year for your teeth. If you\u2019re travelling for the holidays, avoid a trip to your [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1105","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1105"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1105\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1108,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1105\/revisions\/1108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}