It’s the beginning of a new year, which means it’s once again time to examine your life, admit mistakes, and make a plan to do better in the coming year than you did in the last. What does this mean for your oral health? Here are a few resolutions to help you kick the year off right.
Get Thee to a Dentist
If you haven’t seen the dentist lately, it’s high time you schedule an appointment. Even with proper oral hygiene practices at home, you simply can’t do the job a dental professional can. With expertise and equipment that the average person can’t match, dentists and hygienists are qualified to inspect, x-ray, and deep clean your mouth, ensuring better oral health now and in the future.
Brush Up on Brushing
While you’re at the dentist, it may be a good time to ask for a tutorial in brushing, flossing, and rinsing. This might sound silly – after all, you’ve been practicing oral hygiene for years – but just think about the last time you learned how to do these things. You were probably about five years old. Don’t you think it’s time for a refresher course?
You might be surprised by the things you’re doing wrong or that you’ve simply grown lax about. With a tutorial from your dentist or hygienist, you can improve the quality of your brushing, flossing, and rinsing, learn about new and improved products available to you, and work toward better oral health in the coming year.
Add and Subtract
Good oral health habits don’t just revolve around brushing, flossing, and rinsing after every meal. In order to maintain the best possible oral health, you might also need to address what goes in your mouth on a daily basis.
If you’re a smoker, for example, it’s high time you said goodbye to tobacco, for better oral and overall health. You should also cut back on sugar if you suffer from a sweet tooth. Sugar is a huge culprit where oral health issues are concerned since it clings to teeth and feeds bacteria, leading to plaque and tartar buildup, as well as gum disease and tooth decay.
It’s not all about deprivation, though. You should also think about adding calcium to your diet and swapping in crunchy fruits and veggies like apples and carrots that help to scrape harmful biofilm off your teeth with every bite. Not only will you improve oral health, but overall health in the process.
