As 2021 rolls in, it’s the perfect opportunity to make some healthy resolutions for a new year and a new, improved you. A great starting point is to commit to smart oral health goals to keep your teeth and gums healthy. It’s a simple resolution that is easy to keep because you can start with small steps to create oral health goals and habits that can last a lifetime. Here we look at the best ways to create a new oral health regime to maintain a healthy smile with preventative dental care.
Add Flossing To Your Daily Regime
If you don’t already floss, now is the time to develop the habit. Though it may seem like flossing is a lot of work, it really is quite simple, and is a very important step to maintaining good oral health. Imagine your mouth and the way your teeth align side by side. Many of those surfaces are difficult to reach by brushing alone. When you floss you get between your teeth and can remove food debris that can lead to bacteria, and ultimately tooth decay.
Regular, stimulating flossing also reduces your risk of gum disease. It just takes flossing once a day, or when you feel debris between your teeth after eating something like popcorn or steak, to achieve this area of your oral health goals.
Get The Best Toothbrush
Most of us don’t pay too much attention to the age of our toothbrushes. However, your toothbrush is under a lot of pressure twice a day. When you use an old toothbrush, the flattened, spread out bristles can do more harm than good. They can cause receding gum lines and also fail to get between teeth. Because the bristles are lying flat against your teeth when you brush, they can’t contact surfaces and crevices like a new brush can. A good rule of thumb is to replace your toothbrush, or electric toothbrush head, every three months.
While it might seem a bit much, consider putting a notice on your phone so you are notified when it’s time to pick up a new brush. Better yet, consider investing in the best toothbrush possible. Electric toothbrushes tend to do a better job at brushing and can assist in plaque removal. And if you tend to have issues with pressure, or not brushing long enough, new toothbrushes come with pressure alarms and timers so you brush for the right amount of time and with the right amount of pressure.
Book Regular Dental Appointments
It can be easy to let your hectic lifestyle get in the way of your regular dental checkups. Another common reason people don’t book appointments is that they don’t have dental coverage. Either way, regular dental checkups are the best way to avoid both these issues. A simple dental checkup once a year takes only one appointment and has reasonable costs. However, missed dental checkups increase the risk for dental issues that not only require more appointments, but that will also cost a lot more than your checkups would have. Plus, included in your regular visits is a professional cleaning — an important aspect of your oral health goals regime.
Our clinic has the tools needed to remove the plaque your toothbrush and flossing can’t remove. We also examine your teeth to look for signs of decay, and can address other issues to help prevent further decay and gum disease. All in all your regular preventative dental checkups keep your teeth and gums healthy, avoid the need for more time-consuming dental treatments, and cost less than treatments will in the long run.
Quit Smoking
This is not just one of the most important oral health goals you can set, but an excellent health goal in general. You know how bad smoking is for your health. But you might not know it is also bad for your dental health. It increases the risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and oral and throat cancers. However, there is also a cosmetic aspect to smoking, as it causes yellow, stained teeth which can dull your smile.
Healthy Diet
A healthy diet helps not just your oral health goals, but is the perfect way to achieve your overall healthier lifestyle goal. A healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables is excellent for your teeth. When you choose crisp, crunchy fresh fruits and vegetables as snacks, they can assist in plaque removal. You also get plenty of healthy vitamins and antioxidants important in preventing gum disease.
While adding more healthy food choices to your diet is important, you also need to reduce foods high in sugar and acids. These foods are very damaging to teeth and can increase the risk for tooth decay and enamel erosion. If you do choose acidic or sugary foods be sure to rinse your mouth with water right away. Don’t brush immediately as this can actually force the sugar and acids into your teeth. Instead, stick to your twice-daily brushing regime.
Winning Smile
If you have been dissatisfied with the appearance of your smile, setting oral health goals that include possible cosmetic treatment can help. We can discuss a cosmetic treatment plan to improve your smile whether it is whitening, straightening, or more involved treatments such as dental implants to replace missing teeth. There is always a solution to improve your smile with treatments that include:
- Dental Bonding: Bonding uses a tooth-coloured, strong resin that can repair and improve the appearance of chipped or cracked teeth; it can be used to replace old, metal fillings with tooth-coloured fillings; or it can address things such as closing gaps between teeth. Bonding can also be contoured to mold your teeth into a more appealing shape.
- Dental Bridges: Dental bridges can replace missing teeth, and can either be cemented or bonded in place, or “fixed” using implants.
- Crowns: Crowns can be used to address a number of cosmetic woes, by “capping” your existing discoloured or mishappen teeth. We offer same-day crowns through CEREC technology – no more need for multiple appointments.
- Dental Veneers: Dental veneers are thin “shells” bonded to the front of your teeth to correct imperfections such as uneven teeth, chips, cracks, stains and more.
We can discuss the treatments that are right for you to help you achieve your perfect smile.
These oral health goals are the perfect start to your 2021 New Year’s resolutions.
Call today to schedule a visit at 905-775-5307 or click here to request an appointment.