The start of a new year is the perfect time to commit to some new goals. This year, start to consider some dental health resolutions to add to your self-care routine. Whether it’s flossing daily or even whitening your smile, take this opportunity to examine your own dental health. Check out these suggestions below to get some ideas on how you can improve your oral health this year.

 

Consistent Dental Care is Key

When determining your dental health goals, let’s start with the basics: brushing and flossing. While this may seem like common sense, you should be consistently caring for your smile daily. Sometimes it may be easier to just go to bed without brushing your teeth, or to skip flossing if you feel like you don’t need it, but don’t underestimate the power of plaque! The difference between a healthy smile and a smile with gum disease is consistency. It’s recommended that you brush your teeth twice per day with fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush. 

 

Floss once per day before you go to bed to remove any food debris and bacteria from between your teeth. Plaque is always hiding in your smile, even if you don’t feel it. If plaque sits in place, it hardens and becomes tartar. Over time, tartar can be extremely damaging to your teeth and gums. Be consistent with your dental care to ensure that you have a healthy smile!

 

Choose the Right Snacks

Choose healthy foods and drinks to protect your smile from damage. Anything that is too acidic or contains too much sugar can break down your enamel. Weakening of the enamel can lead to cavities and dental disease, so it’s best to avoid harmful foods altogether. Instead, try chewing on some crunchy vegetables like carrots or cucumbers. These types of foods can help keep your teeth and gums clean and may wash away some plaque in between brushing. Of course, eating vegetables is helpful for your dental health, but it is no replacement for actual dental care. Still brush regularly and visit your dentist every six months. 

 

Visit the Dentist Regularly

You should be visiting our office every six months for a professional dental cleaning and checkup. If you can’t remember the last time you visited, give us a call! No matter how well you care for your smile, you can’t remove tartar without the help of a dental health professional. Tartar must be removed through the process of scaling; which your dental hygienist does every time you visit them for a cleaning. Every smile is unique, so it’s important to understand the needs of your teeth and gums.

 

While gum disease is often common in people with poor oral hygiene, it can still occur due to genetics or even due to medications or pregnancy. While you’re here, ask us for some tips on how to care for your individual smile.

 

Improve Your Smile

If you’ve always been self-conscious of your smile for any reason, it’s possible that one of your goals could be to correct this issue! Whether you have crooked teeth, discoloration, or even gaps in your smile, we can guide you on treatments that can give you the smile of your dreams! Don’t keep pushing off your smile goals until next year, tackle your insecurities head on. Ask our team how we can help you improve the appearance of your smile. Whether you need braces or teeth whitening, the smile you’ve always wanted is within reach!