Diwali rightly called the festival of lights is also the festival of sweets. In the process of decorating our houses to our best to impress goddess Laxmi, we end up ignoring our teeth. Sweets that we savor in excess on this festival acts as a food for the bacteria to grow. While some microbes are inevitable and even beneficial for our oral cavity, tooth decay and diseases may arise if there is an unchecked growth of bacteria.

So how do we take care of our smile and make sure we smile our brightest during this festival of lights?

1. Go natural

This Diwali opt for natural sugars instead of artificial sweeteners and processed sugars. They are not only good for your health but also your teeth. Instead of sugar-infused sweets, choose honey-based desserts and dry fruits. With adulteration on the rise, we are anyway not sure of what goes in the mass-produced mithais; so it is better if we stick to natural options.

2. Brush twice to protect that smile

Don’t forget to brush your teeth twice to save your teeth from decay. This holds true not only during Diwali but all year long. One can drink a glass of water after sweets or chew sugar-free gums to remove the accumulation of sugar and increase the flow of saliva. Using floss and interdental brushes post meals will also help to prevent any plaque build-up.

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3. Use your teeth only for what they are meant to do—chew

We tend to get carried away while decorating and cleaning our house for the celebration. Many of us have used our teeth to untie knots, peel wires and hold heavy stuff. By doing so, we only put our teeth on the forefront of harm and injuries. Our teeth are designed to chew food, and we need to respect that. Else we will only end up losing them.

4. Don’t stress

Just a week before Diwali we all get stressed about preparations and decorations. What is less known is that most of us tend to grind and clench our teeth when stressed. This causes jaw pain, headache as well as damaged teeth. A toothache is the last thing we would want on Diwali!

5. Scrape your tongue

Don’t neglect your tongue this Diwali. Tongue scraping is the fastest and the easiest way to get rid of most of the bacteria build-up from your oral cavity. It will not only help in maintaining oral hygiene but also stimulate metabolism.

6. Switch to green tea

Green tea has a multitude of health benefits. It helps in weight loss, boosts immunity, stimulates metabolism and is also an antimicrobial. The antimicrobial property of green tea also helps to keep your oral microbiota in check which in long run prevents tooth decay. So instead of having your daily dose of chai, have green tea.

7. Visit your dentist after the festival

No matter how cautious you are, it is never a harm to go to the dentist. Those sweets and stress may have wriggled in some embrasures or fissures. Visit your dentist after the festival is over and get an oral health check-up done.

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Festivals are a time to let your hair down and enjoy to the fullest. With a little precaution before and after the festivities, you can have fun without having to worry about harming your teeth. So don’t let dental problems stop you from celebrating this festival.

Smile brightly during this festival of lights and have a Safe and Happy Diwali!