As you start to think about how to improve your health throughout the upcoming year, it can be incredibly useful to make some New Year’s resolutions for your oral health. These steps can aid in improving the condition of your teeth and ensuring a healthier, more beautiful smile throughout the next year. Here are some of the best New Year’s resolutions for your oral health.
Replace your Toothbrush Regularly
Though you likely know that it is important to brush your teeth, it is less likely that you understand how essential it is to replace your toothbrush on a regular basis. When you find that your toothbrush has worn down, you should replace it to ensure that it is able to continue doing its job. Even if your toothbrush doesn’t show signs of wear, you should still replace your toothbrush every 3 or 4 months. In fact, purchasing toothbrushes in bulk at the beginning of the year can make it much easier to replace your toothbrush whenever necessary.
Floss Daily
When food particles or bacteria get trapped between your teeth, it is likely that they can cause damage to the surface of the teeth. By removing these food particles, you reduce the likelihood of this damage. Flossing is an incredibly important step in caring for your teeth. When you floss on a daily basis, you more effectively remove food particles from your teeth. Flossing can even remove particles from beneath the surface of your gums, which helps to reduce your chances of developing gum disease.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables have a huge impact on your health, especially when it comes to the health of your teeth. These foods contain important vitamins and minerals that can help to strengthen your teeth and prevent damage. In addition, they contain high levels of water, which helps to flush out harmful particles before they are allowed to cause a significant amount of damage. The fibrous varieties can also help to scrub the teeth, which further removes these additional particles.
Quit Smoking
Smoking damages your health in many ways. It increases your chances of developing many different kinds of cancer and can also cause damage to your teeth. This bad habit can lead to yellowing teeth, increased likelihood of gum disease, increased likelihood of oral cancer, and many other issues. For these reasons, it is important to stop smoking as one of your New Year’s resolutions this year. In addition, smoking can cause your mouth to dry out, which can lead to even more problems with your oral health. These are just a few of the reasons that you should quit smoking this year.
Visit your Dentist Regularly
When you visit your dentist on a regular basis, you will often be able to identify issues with your oral hygiene in the early stages, when the problems are easier to reverse. Due to this, it is important to visit your dentist at least twice a year. While you are planning out your New Year’s resolutions, you should likely schedule your first cleaning with your dentist. Get the New Year off to a good start by having your teeth cleaned and examined by a professional. Regular dental visits help to thoroughly clear harmful particles from the surface of your teeth and ensure that you maintain a beautiful, healthy smile.
Cut Back on Sugar
Sugar is one of the most common causes of tooth decay. Every time you consume sugar, it tends to reduce in an acid attack to your teeth. Sugar serves as fuel for bacteria that can eat away at the surface of your teeth. When you strive to reduce your overall sugar consumption, you can prevent this sugar from resulting in damage to your teeth. This step can improve your health in many other ways, as well. For example, reducing your sugar consumption can help you to lose weight or reduce your risk of developing diabetes. By making reducing your sugar consumption a New Year’s resolution, you can improve your health in a variety of ways.
The right steps can make a huge difference to the health of your smile. When you strive to take appropriate care of your teeth, you will often find that your teeth are stronger and healthier. These steps can also prevent damage to your teeth in many different ways. Schedule your dental cleaning with us today to get started on your New Year’s resolutions. Contact us at Avenues Family Dentistry for more information.