March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day and the top dental surgeons advices to eat, drink, be merry and take care of your teeth! You can be sure to see green, almost everywhere you look on St. Patrick’s Day. Most American’s tend to celebrate this Irish holiday by boozing it up and dyeing the alcohol green. Although green beer is a fun idea, but it can lead to tooth decay. 
The dye used to turn the beer into a glass full of green goodness during St. Patrick’s day will stain the teeth and cause dry mouth. The dye is not the complete problem since alcohol is full of sugars and starches they also dry your mouth, which in turn will decrease the amount of saliva that are required to combat the cavities in your teeth.
In this post, I am listing out a few tips that will help you maintain your oral health with beautiful, healthy smile on St. Patrick’s Day:
- Everything in Moderation:
Although its expected that millions of us will enjoy a couple of pints at their nearest pub or a few beers at home to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but its is good to remember what alcohol could do to your oral health. Too much drinking can contribute to tooth decay and periodontal disease. You should enjoy yourself, but not in excess!
- Stay Hydrated!
Remember to hydrate yourself by drinking plenty of water in between alcohol consumption. If you don’t stay hydrated then you are more susceptible to cavities, thrush and oral yeast infections.
- Try to Stay Away from the Green Stuff:
Try staying away from the green stuff or else you may end up like one of the many people waking up with green teeth! Though this will be temporary, it can keep you from showing your teeth the next day. If this happens, brush your teeth with a whitening toothpaste. If your teeth remain green for a long period of time, contact your dentist.
- Brush and Floss Your Teeth Before Going to Bed:
If you are sober enough, you should brush your teeth before going to bed. But try to refrain from doing this directly after drinking since the acid in ale, beer and other alcoholic beverages could damage your tooth enamel. Brush and floss your teeth after 30 minutes to an hour of drinking the beer. Just a few minutes of preventive steps will save your smile and your teeth will thank you!
- Use a Good Mouthwash:
After all the corned beef, cabbage combination, nobody will desire to share a kiss, no matter how much you have had to drink. Use a good mouthwash for that “kiss me, I’m Irish” moment.
Even though St. Patrick’s Day is a sfun-filled with endless flowing rivers of blissful beer, try to keep things in moderation since tooth decay and periodontal disease are serious oral problems and excess drinking can lead to both. You can consult the top dental surgeons, if you have any dental concerns about your overall oral health on St. Patrick’s day.
Meanwhile, you can also read:
Tips for optimum oral health
Oral Health: An Essential Component of Whole Person Care
