Make taking care of your smile something you do everyday, and not just a new year’s resolution.
10 Tips for a Year of Healthy Smiles
There are a number of things you can do this year to take better care of yourself and your smile. Give yourself a fresh start with Bright Smiles Family Dentistry in Pflugerville and Marble Falls. A healthy smile gives you confidence and looks and feels terrific. Taking care of your smile shouldn’t just be a new year’s resolution, but something you do every day! How can you keep your smile healthy all year long? We’ve got 10 handy tips for you:
10 tips for a year of healthy smiles:
- Brush your teeth every day using fluoride toothpaste.
- Flossing is as important as brushing.
- See your dentist twice a year.
- Maintain a healthy diet and limit sugary drinks and stay hydrated!
- Reduce stains and swap the culprits: red wine, coffee, cola, tomato sauce, chocolate, soy sauce, dark berries, and tea.
- Think about straightening your smile.
- Don't chew on hard items - your teeth are not multi-tools!
- Close the gap on missing teeth
- Combat grinding and clenching
- Take care of your toothbrush.
Brush your Teeth
Brushing your teeth at least twice a day is important! Cleaning teeth and removing food particles will make it less likely that bacteria will grow. Brushing your teeth once in the morning and once again at night is great, but feel free to brush more if you feel like you need it! Make sure you take your time and pay attention to what you’re doing, remember two minutes!
Floss
Flossing is as important as brushing your teeth. Removing tiny particles of food between your teeth will help reduce your chances of developing gum disease, tooth decay, and cavities. It doesn’t matter if you prefer floss picks or traditional floss, just that you floss! And you should floss twice a day after you brush your teeth.
Visit your Dentist
You need to visit your dentist at Bright Smiles Family Dentistry in Pflugerville and Marble Falls at least twice a year! We look forward to seeing you, and it’s important to get your teeth professionally cleaned. One of the things your dentist in Pflugerville and Marble Falls will also do while you’re in our office is carefully examine your mouth and identify any problem areas you may have or any other treatments you may need. This is an important step in keeping your smile healthy all year long, and taking care of yourself so don’t put it off, make an appointment with our office today!
Maintain a Healthy Diet
This means you need to eat lots of fruits and veggies! Healthy snacks that help you take care of your teeth are a must and will go a long way in keeping your mouth healthy all year long. You also need to avoid sugary snacks that will encourage bacteria growth. This bacteria growth causes tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease. Don’t forget to stay hydrated! Being well-hydrated benefits not only your mouth but your whole body! Drinking water helps sweep away food particles and other debris that might be stuck in your teeth. It also helps all the other systems in your body to work as efficiently as possible.
Reduce stains
What you eat and drink has a big impact on your teeth, not only do the things you eat often get trapped, but they can also stain your teeth! Drinking and eating foods like red wine, coffee, cola, tomato sauce, chocolate, soy sauce, dark berries, and tea can stain your teeth and keep them from the bright, white smile you’d love to have. These things can also wear away the enamel on your teeth, so it’s important to limit them or swap them for more tooth-friendly alternatives.
A Straighter Smile
Have you ever thought about straightening your smile? When you straighten teeth that may be crooked, or your bite needs to be corrected it can often be hard to clean your teeth. When you straighten your smile, not only will you feel more confident, but you will have the health benefits of teeth that are properly aligned and not causing problems! With so many options like clear aligners and braces, these days it’s much easier to get a great smile!
Your teeth are not multi-tools!
If you have a bad habit of chewing on things that are not food like pen caps or using your teeth as a tool to open things, DON’T! If you continue to use your teeth as multi-tools, you can crack or chip a tooth. Resist the urge to chew on things, because it’s not worth the damage you are likely to deal with.
Close the gap on missing teeth
If you have missing teeth, they can compromise your entire smile. Any gaps can cause the teeth around it to shift inward, causing problems for your entire bite. Not only is a missing tooth sometimes cause discomfort and a desire to hide your smile, but the damage can be a big problem! Your dentist in Pflugerville and Marble Falls can help you find the replacement solution that’s right for you that will look and function like a real tooth. If you have a loose tooth, come see us at Bright Smiles Family Dentistry before it comes out!
Combat grinding and clenching
If you clench your jaw or grind your teeth, this can put stress on your jaw and teeth and can often cause issues like TMJ or loss of tooth enamel. If you think you’re grinding or clenching your teeth, you need to speak to your dentist in Pflugerville and Marble Falls. They will have solutions to protect your teeth and jaws like a night guard. You don’t want a cracked tooth before you realize you have a problem!
Take care of your toothbrush
Your toothbrush is one of your most valuable tools to keep your mouth healthy. Don’t share it with someone else, (you’ll be sharing bacteria!), and replace it every three months or when you’re sick.
Get a fresh start this year, and keep your teeth healthy all year long! At your dentist in Pflugerville and Marble Falls, we’re here to make sure you have everything you need to care for your teeth. Take advantage of a new year, and a fresh start, and schedule your cleaning and exam with Bright Smiles Family Dentistry today!
