New Year’s Dental Resolutions

New Year’s Dental Resolutions

07/01/2021

The start of a new year is always a great time to make positive changes, why not include your oral health in your resolutions this year? You may be embarrassed by the appearance of your teeth or know you could take better care of your teeth and want to make January the start of a whole new oral health regime.

Here are 5 ways you can improve your oral health this year:

Book a Dental Appointment
If you haven’t had a visit to the dentist in a while, it can feel daunting, especially if you know your teeth aren’t looking the best. Rest assured your dentist is there solely to tell you the truth about your oral health and give you advice on the best steps forward, they won’t ridicule you for letting your oral health fall to the back of your priorities – they’ll just be happy that you’re ready to improve things.

Take up Flossing
Even the smartest electric toothbrush can’t get deep enough into the spaces in between your teeth to warrant you not flossing. Even the most avid brusher and mouth wash rinser should be flossing once a day to remove trapped plaque and food particles, it’s the only way to take complete care of your teeth and gums.

Make flossing part of your night time routine and place it on top of or directly next to your toothpaste so you can’t forget! It doesn’t take much time at all and over time your gums will look and feel healthier.

Minimise Sugar Intake
Sugar is one of the leading causes of cavities and can be very addictive and hard to cut back on, but it is necessary in order to protect your teeth and gum health. When left on the teeth, sugar is constantly attacking the enamel on your teeth and causing damage. For help with cutting back on sugar, try chewing sugar-free gum when you have a craving for something sweet and cut back on the amount of treats you eat – your teeth and your waistline will thank you!

Stop Smoking
Did you know that smoking doubles your risk of gum disease? We all know that smoking is linked to a large variety of other health problems, but smokers often have sore and unhealthy gums due to their tobacco habit. Start the new year off right by removing any tobacco products from your home and ask your friends and family to support you and motivate you to avoid temptations. The first few days of quitting smoking will be the hardest, but stick to it!

Eat Well
By minimising the amount of sugar you eat, you are on your way to a healthy smile. However, there are foods you can eat that are beneficial to your teeth that you should eat more of if you want to improve your oral health. The best foods for your teeth are dairy products, as they are high is calcium, but you should also eat foods high in fibre that increases the amount of saliva in your mouth to wash away plaque.

Start the year off well by taking care of your overall health and paying more attention to your smile.