Our teeth are a living part of our body and like you’d read to keep your mind strong or go to the gym to keep your body strong you should improve your oral health to keep your teeth strong. With christmas over and the busyness of new year’s eve plans fast approaching we want to help you choose better oral health care as your new years’ resolution for 2022.
We will teach you 11 amazing ways to do just that:
1) Visit your dentist regularly
Our teeth allow us to talk to others, chew our food, smile, and interact with the world. Our teeth are a living part of our bodies and need to be taken care of regularly by visiting the dentist every 6 months for routine dental cleanings. During each regular visit, the dentist can also monitor your oral health in ways you can’t yourself which may include checking for tooth decay, gum disease, early signs of oral cancer, and misaligned teeth. Seeing your dentist on a regular basis allows them to take steps to maintain optimal dental health or make a specialized plan to prevent issues like cavities turning into root canals.
2) Improving your Brushing Technique
You’ve probably heard the expression brushing twice a day keeps the dentist away and that It’s best to brush in the morning and before bed, which is true but your brushing technique is also important and often overlooked. You should move your toothbrush in small circular motions in the front and back of each tooth’s surface and inside of your teeth. It is also important to pay extra attention to hard-to-reach places in the back of your mouth.
3) Become a persistent flosser
Flossing is arguably the most important and often overlooked ingredient in maintaining strong tooth enamel. Flossing removes plaque in between teeth where even the fanciest of toothbrushes are ineffective. It’s important to floss at least once a day by gently moving the floss up-and-down in between each tooth. It is a good strategy to set a timer each night to make sure you are spending enough time on your oral health routine and also to make the habit more persistent.
4) Reduce your Sugar Intake
The ADA has made public foods that will increase the risk of tooth decay like candy, sticky sweets, and sugary drinks. The bacteria in our mouths commonly use these sugars to harm tooth enamel leading to more cavities and tooth decay. It is important to find healthier alternatives with a higher PH level as these foods are less acidic, with non-acidic foods having a PH level higher than 7.
5) Cut down on sugary and teeth staining drinks
The acids in sugary drinks like soda can erode tooth enamel which leads to tooth decay and a higher likelihood of cavities. If you are a regular soda drinker It’s time to find an alternative before it leads to extreme repercussions later in life with your teeth and gums. In addition to soda, you’ll want to limit your exposure to dark drinks that can stain your teeth like coffee, tea, and red wine because teeth staining also causes oral health problems.
6) The type of toothbrush you use is Important
Much like success in any area of your life your equipment can have a positive or negative impact. Brushing your teeth with a bad toothbrush is no different. Make sure you choose a toothbrush with soft round bristles and replace the toothbrush head every three months. It is important that you brush for two minutes at a time, using fluoride toothpaste to strengthen your tooth enamel.
7) Always be sure to brush your tongue
Did you know that your tongue when not brushed consistently can lead to bad breath and tooth decay? To prevent this you’ll want to brush your tongue, use a tongue scraper to get rid of tongue bacteria, use a mouthwash with fluoride for 1 minute daily, and try gargling with warm salt water daily to kill bacteria in your mouth.
8) Praise your kids to encourage persistent teeth brushing
A recent study in child development by researchers from Yale, the Santa Fe Institute, and the University of Pennsylvania examined the relationship between the persistence of kids brushing their teeth and parental praise. If you want your kids to become successful adults encouraging them to be persistent in boring activities like brushing their teeth will help their development. Since child behaviors change daily the study examined how variations in parental encouragement and stress can impact daily toothbrushing behaviors, brushing times, moods, and sleep.
You should start focusing on your kid’s oral health at a young age while their teeth are still developing. Some advice for parents to help build a solid foundation for their kid’s teeth and reduce the likelihood of illness or disease later in life include having your kids brush twice daily and floss once, no sugary drinks or snacks after lunchtime, getting them a good electric toothbrush when their old enough, scheduling regular dental visits and having any dental problems addressed early to prevent issues down the road.
9) Old Teeth need additional TLC
As we age we need to work even harder to maintain great oral health, prevent tooth decay, oral cancer, and gum disease. This is because the enamel and bones of our teeth deteriorate just like the other bones in our body with age. Regular dental visits can help us stay on top of denture repairs, dental work, teeth whitening, root canal therapy, and teeth whitening.
10) Adults may want to seek orthodontic care
Over the last few years, more patients have been looking for Invisalign clear aligners to correct minor teeth alignment issues and these numbers are expected to increase in 2022. During Covid-19 especially there was a rise in adults visiting the orthodontists for stress-related reasons like teeth grinding and clenching which created a larger need for clear aligners. Crooked and misaligned teeth can create an abundance of oral health problems.
11) Teeth Whitening can Improve oral and digestive health
A majour trend that is not slowing down heading into 2022 especially with the rise of social media is the desire for teeth whitening. Teeth whitening can improve your confidence, oral health, and digestive health by removing acidic stains that penetrate deep into your teeth. If you’d like to learn more about teeth whitening and the role it plays in our oral health click here:
Conclusion
It may be easy to discount the importance of improving your oral health habits but when you take this approach, you can avoid very painful and frequent dental visits later on in life.
If you follow these tips you’ll find a significant decrease in oral health and teeth issues. If you would like to ask any questions or schedule an appointment at our dental clinic in London Ontario you can use our Request An Appointment form, email us at Info@sbenatidentistry.ca, or give us a call at (519)-474-0220 weād love to meet you.
If you enjoyed this article check out this oral health blog post and our other blogs.
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