Healthy Dental Habits

Your smile says it all! But what exactly does it say?  Dental hygiene is not just important for a great smile, it also contributes to your body’s overall health. Caring for your teeth can decrease risks of gum disease, heart disease, dementia, respiratory problems, and even cancer. Risk prevention is easier than you think if you follow these simple habits to develop healthy hygiene.

Brush Your Teeth 2-3 Times Daily

Using the right toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste will prevent food from getting stuck between your teeth as well as plaque build-up, which can lead to bad breath, cavities and gum disease. Brushing morning and night are common habits, but brushing after each meal may also help with build-up, preventing gum disease and bad breath. It is recommended to brush in a circular motion for 2-3 minutes and cover each section of your mouth so that each tooth has been properly noticed.

In addition to brushing, choosing the right toothbrush is also important.  Whether you are choosing an electronic toothbrush or a regular tooth brush, make sure that you are replacing it (or the head, with an electronic toothbrush) every 3 months to reduce the amount of bacteria growing and potentially causing harm.

Flossing

Be honest!  It is easy to answer your dentist or hygienist with a false and emphatic, “Yes!” when asked if you’ve been flossing.  However, you know the truth and your body does, too.  It is a beneficial habit to floss your teeth daily.  This routine cleaning provides even more care for removing food from between your teeth and prohibiting harmful growth of plaque or allowing cavities to form.  Bleeding gums when you floss can indicate gingivitis or even a lack of healthy gums but this can improve over time, so stick with it!  If flossing is something that your sensitive teeth have difficulty tolerating, try a water pick instead.

Whether you are choosing floss or a water pick, make sure that you are working to dedicate time to developing healthy dental hygiene habits so that your next dental visit can be an honest one!

What More Should You Do?

Other suggestions for healthy oral hygiene include brushing your tongue and even using an antibacterial mouth wash. Tongue scrapers can be purchased and can help with removing bacteria from your tongue and improving your breath.  Antibacterial mouth wash can be the final touch to your daily routines and can help remove any bacteria that may have been able to hide from your toothbrush or floss.

Now your daily oral hygiene habits are off to a sparkly, fresh start.  What other habits should you let go of?

There are some bad habits that are actually more than just indulgences.  What you put into your mouth and body impacts your whole body’s health. So, take care of you and your mouth!

• Limit coffee, tea and coke and drink with a straw to prevent the harmful acids from settling onto your teeth.
• Say NO to tobacco! No smoking or chewing tobacco!
• Eat a nutritious diet of fruits, vegetables, fish, and chicken to encourage healthy teeth but also a healthy body overall!
• Limit sugary foods! The harmful bacteria in your mouth gets fuel from sugary foods and drinks. By limiting what you eat you are promoting a healthier mouth.

Now that you are ready to focus on a more complete oral hygiene regiment, make sure that you also schedule dental appointments regularly to assist with preventative care and a positive care plan that will impact your whole body! At Park 56 Dental, we are here to serve you!  Give us a call at (646) 679-3989.