A beautiful smile is often attributed to a strong dedication to dental care habits. Prevention is a key component to dentistry that ensures smiles remain healthy and beautiful throughout a person’s lifetime. Here are a few tips for keeping your smile in tip-top shape:
Brush and floss regularly. A dedicated routine of brushing twice a day and flossing before bed can be the number one determining factor that allows your smile to last well into senior years. Plaque can harden after 24 hours and affect oral health, but brushing and flossing before it turns to tartar prevent issues like gingivitis and decay from occurring in the first place.
Rinse with non-alcoholic antiseptic mouthwash. Bacteria accumulate and multiply at a compounding rate. Pathogens can greatly affect dental health, leading to issues like gingivitis and decay. Antiseptic mouthwash reaches the areas brushing and flossing fail to address, helping you maintain fresher breath and better health.
Eat healthily and avoid refined sugars. While sugar doesn’t directly create cavities and decay, it can be the main contributor in many cases. Bacteria feed off sugars and excrete an acid that eats away at dental enamel leading to cavities. Instead, opting for whole fruits and vegetables encourages good-standing dental health by acting as an interim toothbrush as the fibers of the food rub against teeth and remove plaque.
Avoid bad habits. Using teeth as tools, chewing on ice, and smoking can all be detrimental to dental health. Not only can using teeth as tools cause chips and cracks, it can lead to the weakening of the dental enamel, the part of the tooth protecting the inner pulp from decay.
Visit your dentist at least once every six months. While many want to avoid visits to the dentist, routine visits can actually save visits to the dentist in the future. During routine exams, a reliable dentist will evaluate any present issues, provide instructions for proper care, and administer professional cleanings to remove tartar buildup.
While not an exhaustive list of actions that can improve your dental health, these tips build a great foundation to get you started on a lifetime of great oral health.
Staying on top of your dental health encourages your smile to shine brightly. Call our dental practice in Keller, TX, and schedule an appointment with Dr. Gina Biedermann for comprehensive dental care in Tarrant County. Our team of healthcare providers is dedicated to preventing dental issues and bringing out the natural beauty of smiles.