5 Do’s and Don’ts for the Christmas Party

We’ve all read the articles in Cleo or AskMen about what to do and what not to do at the office Christmas party.

Many of the lists include hooking up with workmates, telling the boss what you really think and drinking too much. The Do’s and Don’ts from Dr Roxanne Irani’s Gentle and Caring Dentistry are a little different and guide you towards looking and eating your best at your work Christmas party…

Don’t – Overdo the at-home teeth whitening

If you want to whiten your teeth, pick up an at-home treatment from Dr Irani and follow their instructions to the T, or book in for professional whitening so there’s no chance of messing it up. Dr Irani offers a range of treatment options that vary in treatment time and strength so she can advise on the best treatment for you.

Do – Skip the bright floral lipsticks

While bright floral colours, peach, apricot and tangerine are all great statement colours they might not make the statement you are hoping for. At the work Christmas party unless you work for a clothing company or a fashion and design studio it is often better to play it safe and run with tried and true lipstick colours.

No one wants to be remembered as the girl who used to wear the ‘crayon’ lipstick, stick to the reds and you’ll still look great.

An added benefit of avoiding the floral colours is avoiding the tinge they add to your teeth. Any lipsticks with an orange undertone will make your teeth appear less white than they are. Go for a red with a blue undertone and your whites will look whiter and you can flaunt your style without worry.

Don’t – Flaunt your office romance (but…)

This is one straight from the magazines (almost). If you’ve been crushing on someone all year round (this is for you too men), don’t make your aim for the Christmas party to be a ‘hook up’. No one likes the awkward back to work on Monday grimace or the ‘I’m so sorry I drank too much’ apology. Avoid the office romances at your official work Christmas party. If you’re already an accepted couple this party is your opportunity to show you’re great individually.

(But… if you do…)

When it comes down to it, this might be a budding romance for the ages. If you are determined to start your romance at the office Christmas party, be sure to have a dental check-up and clean in the days before hand to make sure you don’t have halitosis (bad breath) or other dental issues that you might not want to share with your potential new partner.

Bad breath can be caused by a number of things including poor dental hygiene, gum disease, poor fitting dentures or dental appliances and other sicknesses. Dr Irani will check over your mouth and teeth to ensure you’re safe to smooch.

Do – Skip the red wine

While red is a festive colour it might not be the colour you should reach for when thinking of wine at your work Christmas party. If you have weakened enamel or damaged teeth red wine will not be your friend as it can be absorbed into your teeth and leave you with pink or red staining throughout the night.

Even if you don’t have damaged teeth skipping the red wine can be a big help as it is known to cause teeth staining and discolouration. If you’ve been a long term avid red wine drinker and you’d like to remove the stains Dr Irani can help with whitening treatment.

Don’t – Open bottles with your mouth

Not that we think your party will get to this point, but if throughout the night things get a little rowdy stick to opening bottles with openers or on the edge of a sturdy bench rather than with your teeth.

Your teeth might be nice and strong, and very close by, but risking damage to them from chips or cracks by taking the lids off bottles is not something you want to do at the Christmas party (or at all).

The serrated edge of most beer bottle lids will wreak havoc on teeth and dentists shudder at the thought of you even placing them in your mouth. If for some reason you forget to heed our warning and do end up damaging your teeth book an emergency treatment with Dr Irani as soon as possible. If a tooth falls out (we hope it doesn’t happen) be sure not to pick it up by the roots, then place it in a glass of cold milk or inside your cheek and make your way to a dentist pronto!

There are always more do’s and don’ts you should be following at your work Christmas party, if you have any tips of your own post them on our Facebook page (facebook.com/GentleAndCaring) and if you’re looking to whiten your teeth or have a pre-party check-up call (02) 9349 6668 to make an appointment at Dr Roxanne Irani’s Gentle and Caring Dentistry in Maroubra Junction.