As Christmas is a time for giving we thought we would give you our guide to looking after your teeth over the festive period!

Most of us will partake in the odd social drink or two but remember that most alcoholic drinks contain a lot of sugar and can be highly acidic attacking the enamel that protects your teeth. Try and have them with meals and drink lots of water between times rather than the sugary soft drinks on offer.

Try to avoid too much dried fruit (it is one of the main ingredients in Christmas Cake and Mince Pies) as it is high in sugar and coats the teeth in a sugary film.

Ideally brush your teeth about an hour after eating and see if you can cut back on snacking on crisps and sweets that give rise to bacteria. Nuts or Crudités are a healthier alternative and cheese is great too as it helps to neutralise acid.

If you are looking for some gift ideas electric toothbrushes make a great present - from stocking fillers at less than £20 and special designs for kids to hi tech models with pressure sensors and some that track your brushing and sync with your phone (like a Fit-Bit for teeth!).

A course of teeth whitening in the lead up to Christmas and the New Year will help you look your best and also makes a more imaginative Christmas gift (initial consultation required). At KDP we also offer gift vouchers, gift bags with whitening strips and bleaching toothpaste as well as kids gift bags too.

Don’t leave a visit to the dentist until the last minute, we get very busy at this time of year and it can be difficult to get an appointment.

Most importantly HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS! From all at Kilbarchan Dental Practice.

If you have any queries about any areas of dental health visit us at Kilbarchan Dental Practice, call 01505 704969 or click www.kilbarchandental.co.uk where you’ll find lots more free tips and advice.