A healthy smile can help you feel good about yourself and improve your overall health. Proper oral care includes brushing and flossing daily, avoiding tobacco and sugary foods, and scheduling regular dental checkups.
Your dentist can help you avoid most problems through preventive treatments like cleanings and dental fillings. But sometimes, you might need restorative treatment for more serious issues like a toothache or gum disease.
Floss Daily
When people think of Dental care they often associate it with brushing teeth, but flossing is an essential part of good oral hygiene. Flossing removes bacteria from the tight spaces and small gaps that toothbrush bristles cannot reach. These areas can trap food debris and sugars, which can lead to tooth decay (cavities) and other dental work down the road.
Flossing is simple and easy to do, but it does require a bit of practice to get the hang of. You want to be sure to do it correctly, so that you don’t irritate your gums or cause gingival clefts. It is also important to use a fresh section of dental floss for each tooth you clean.
Ideally, you should floss at least once per day. Some people like to do this before breakfast, others prefer to do it before going to bed, but whatever your preference, try to stick to a consistent daily schedule.
Limit Sugary Foods
Sugars and acid have a bad impact on teeth and can lead to tooth decay. Repeated exposure to sugar and acid causes enamel to weaken, leading to cavities. To prevent this, it’s important to limit the amount of sugary foods and drinks that you consume. This means reading food labels and choosing foods that contain less added sugars. You should also try to eat whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats, instead of processed foods. Also, drinking water and milk rather than soda and fruit juice, and chewing sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva production are good choices.
It’s also helpful to drink sugary beverages only at meal times, as your mouth produces more saliva during meals to help wash away the sugar and acid from your teeth. And if you do choose to snack between meals, try to stick to healthy options like nuts and breadsticks, or vegetables and fiber-rich fruits.
Schedule Regular Checkups
Dental health plays a key role in overall physical health. That is why it is so important to prioritize regular checkups and cleanings. This will help you avoid major dental issues like gum disease, tooth decay, and oral cancer. Regular dental appointments also enable dentists to identify and treat problems at their earliest stages, which can save you money and pain in the long run.
The best part about these visits is that your dentist can teach you good brushing and flossing techniques to help prevent dental problems from arising in the first place. They can also give you advice on diet and lifestyle that can promote oral health.
While it might not be the appointment that you look forward to the most, it is one of the most important ones that you should schedule regularly. It is a small price to pay to ensure that your teeth and gums stay healthy for life! So make sure that you schedule your dental checkups and cleanings today!