How to Maintain a Healthy Smile for a Lifetime
Today, we want to let you in on a secret: the key to maintaining a healthy smile for a lifetime starts at home! There are many steps you and your family can take at home to establish healthy habits that protect your pearly whites for years to come. To help you get started, we’re sharing five tips on how to maintain a healthy smile for a lifetime.
1. Make Oral Hygiene a Routine
One of the best ways to build healthy habits is to create a routine. If you brush your teeth at the same time each day, you have a much better chance of remembering to do so. Brushing your teeth helps clean your teeth, freshen your breath, and reduce your chances for cavities, gum disease, and other common dental issues.
2. Double Check Your Brushing Technique
Just because you go through the motions of brushing does not mean you’re getting the full benefit. For example, we know that some of our patients will brush their teeth quickly and vigorously. They might think that pressure and speed provides the best results, but that’s not the case! Vigorous brushing can actually damage your tooth enamel and even cause your gums to recede. Instead, be sure you’re brushing your teeth gently for a full two minutes.
3. Don’t Skimp on the Floss
Floss is your secret weapon on the journey to a healthy smile. It’s cheap, versatile, and helps clean the 40 percent of your tooth that your toothbrush cannot reach. It’s a great way to remove food particles in those hard-to-reach areas before oral bacteria have a chance to feed.
4. Keep an Eye on Your Diet
The importance of diet is often overlooked when it comes to oral health. However, a diet high in sugars and starches may undo some of the benefits of a good oral hygiene routine. The oral bacteria in your mouth love feeding on sugars and starches. They break those particles down into acid, which wears away on teeth to create cavities. To fight back, you should consume sweets in moderation. Additionally, drink some water after eating a sweet treat to wash your tooth surface clean.
5. Come and See Us
Dr. Johnson and our team want to be your partners on your journey to a healthy smile. With that in mind, come and see us! We recommend that our patients visit us for dental checkups every six months or so. This way, we can monitor your oral health and treat any developing issues before they become major problems. To ask our team any questions or to schedule your next appointment, call us today!