Your Mouth Is Coming to Christmas Dinner Too – The Forgotten First Step in Festive Nutrition
Written by Mark Norman Robert Mortiboys, Guest Writer and Executive Contributor
The mince pies come out mid-morning. Someone opens the chocolates while the potatoes are roasting. A glass of something sweet follows you from the kitchen to the sofa. By the time Christmas dinner arrives, your mouth has already been celebrating for hours.
We put a lot of thought into what goes on the Christmas table. After 40 years in dentistry, I’d add one question to the conversation: what happens between meals?
That’s where some of the easiest changes are hiding. You can keep the pudding, enjoy the chocolates and give your teeth a little more breathing room by changing when you have them.
Why the timing matters
When bacteria in dental plaque feed on sugar, they produce acids. Those acids temporarily lower the pH around your teeth and can draw minerals out of the enamel. Saliva helps neutralise those acids and provides minerals that can help repair early mineral loss. When we keep sipping or grazing on something sweet, we give that process less time to do its work. Both how much sugar we have and how often we have it matter. UK guidance on sugar and tooth decay.
Here’s how I’d explain it in the dental chair. Imagine two people having the same three chocolates. One has all three after lunch. The other has one mid-morning, one mid-afternoon and one in the evening. The amount of chocolate is the same, but the second person has spread the sugar exposure across three separate occasions. Add a sweet drink sipped over an afternoon and it’s easy to see how a handful of little decisions can change the shape of the day.
That’s why, when I think about someone’s risk of tooth decay, I want to know what an ordinary day looks like. A food diary might say “one sweet coffee”. I’d want to know whether it was finished with breakfast or carried around for two hours. That detail gives us something practical to work with.
Four small ways to look after your mouth this Christmas
Bring the sweets to the table. Serve the mince pies, pudding or chocolates with or just after a meal. If there’s a tin on the coffee table, try bringing it out after lunch and putting it away once everyone’s had their fill. You still get the pleasure of passing it around, and it’s easier to keep the rest of the afternoon free from grazing. NHS guidance on sugar.
Give the drinks a moment of their own. A glass of sweet punch or a hot chocolate can quietly turn into an hour of little sips. If you’re having a sweet drink, enjoy it with the meal. Put a jug of plain water where everyone can reach it and keep a glass beside you while you cook, chat or watch a film. On a day full of distractions, what’s within reach often decides what we drink.
Take the first bite slowly. Put your fork down and give yourself a moment to taste what you’ve been looking forward to. Notice the crunch of a roast potato or the warmth of the spices in the pudding. Your mouth is where the meal begins. That small pause is my favourite way to remember it, especially when I’ve spent half the day thinking about everybody else’s dinner.
Keep the bedtime brush. Even if you get home late or the usual routine has gone out of the window, brush for about two minutes with fluoride toothpaste before bed and at one other time during the day. Spit out the excess toothpaste after brushing and leave the fluoride on your teeth by skipping the rinse. NHS guidance on brushing.
Prevention begins at home
After four decades in dentistry, I keep coming back to the moments when a small change fits so naturally into someone’s day that they can keep doing it. Christmas offers an easy place to start. Serve the dessert, pour the water and make time for the bedtime brush. Then take the habit that worked best for you into January.
I call my approach Prevention Before Profit. I founded The Dental Shaman to help people understand what they can do for their oral health at home, one everyday habit at a time. For practical oral-care education and to explore the movement, visit thedentalshaman.com.
I also explore the relationship we have with our mouths through my writing. If you’re curious about the story behind The Dental Shaman or would like to discover my novel The Smile Gate, you’ll find my books and more about my journey at marcmortiboys.com.
Read more from Mark Norman Robert Mortiboys
Mark Norman Robert Mortiboys, Founder of the Dental Shaman Movement
Dr. Marc Mortiboys is a holistic dentist, shamanic healer, and founder of the Dental Shaman movement. With 40 years of clinical experience, he blends modern dentistry with ancient healing practices to support natural, preventive oral health. Marc is passionate about helping people understand the deeper emotional, energetic, and spiritual connections to their teeth. He is the positive force behind The Dental Shaman Ozone Water Flosser and the author of Awaken Your Inner Dental Healer and Dental Health Rescue. Due for release soon. Through his writing, teaching, and global vision, he aims to transform the future of oral health. Discover more at thedentalshaman.com and marcmortiboys.com
