How to make your teeth and gums healthy again
January is the perfect time to design new year's resolutions for your dental health and establish healthy habits to keep your teeth healthy. Whether it’s improving oral health habits or completing dental treatment, health-related resolutions are always a good idea and their benefits are definitely a good motivator for a new you. But remember! always make your resolutions attainable by taking small steps to achieve them. Below we look at how to make your teeth and gums healthy again and give you some top tips for looking after your teeth.
1. Floss everyday
Daily flossing helps prevent gum disease. Improving daily oral care routines is a simple way to improve your health and an achievable new year's resolution to help look after your teeth. For successful plaque removal, brush at least twice a day using the right toothbrush for you and a fluoridated toothpaste. Floss at least once per day to remove unwanted food leftovers that may have accumulated throughout the day. Flossing every day is the first step to keeping teeth healthy for life. The NHS and the Oral Health Foundation suggest to change toothbrushes every 3 months.
2. Eat healthy
Want to know what to eat for strong healthy teeth? What you eat and how you eat it can, not only affect your general health, but the health of your teeth and gums too. Focus on a well-balanced diet with an emphasis on calcium-rich foods such as yogurt, cheese and low-fat or fat-free milk to help you have strong teeth and bones. For those who don’t consume animal products, soy milk (especially fortified) or beans and lentils are also a good source of calcium.As part of your healthy eating habits, you should remember to keep sugar at bay. Plaque and bacteria use sugar to produce acids that attack your enamel. It’s also a contributor in many heart diseases, such as heart failure, heart attacks and strokes.PRO TIP: If you want to kick the sugar, click here (100% of the profits go to the registered charity Rewards Project helping to make UK schools and nurseries sugar free)
3. Quit alcohol
In January, the New Year resolutions are still on the cards. Many join the Dry January Challenge and ditch alcohol for the month, however, after the challenge, they go back to drinking or even go on a binge to overcompensate for their efforts. Consuming alcohol not only can contribute to tooth decay, it can even speed up its progression. Giving up alcohol completely might not be the solution for everyone, but cutting down will definitely boost your wellbeing levels.Consider free online programs, progress apps, and support from groups to assist with saying no.
4. Do more exercise
Yep, keeping healthy and fit not only helps your overall health, but also improves your oral health. One study published in the Journal of Dentistry showed that regular physical activity can boost periodontal health, that means that people who exercised regularly had a 54% lower likelihood of developing periodontitis compared to those who led sedentary lives. Exercise also helps reduce the toxins found in your body, and also helps reduce C-reactive proteins. This is all part of the inflammatory response in your body. Additionally, when you exercise, it’s more likely that you’ll make better eating choices which of course improves, your oral and overall health. You're one step closer to better dental health through those new year's resolutions!
5. Brush your teeth more than once a day
Sound like an obvious one, but one in five Brits only brush their teeth once a day. That’s quite an alarming statistic for dentists. If you want to know how to keep healthy teeth, you need to know how to look after your teeth. Understanding why brushing is important is a good first step. When you brush your teeth, you basically destroy the bacteria from your mouth. Bacteria, if left in your mouth results in damaging the enamel of your tooth that gradually weakens the gums and roots resulting in the decay of teeth. One of the times when you brush your teeth should be at night. This is important because during the night, the formation of plaque is mostly undisturbed. Brushing after each meal is also endorsed and recommended by dentists.
6. Stay hydrated
In addition to helping with your focus and fighting fatigue, staying hydrated also boosts your oral hygiene! When your mouth dries out, there isn’t enough saliva to consistently wash bacteria away from your teeth. As a result, it can increase the risk of cavities and bad breath.
7. Schedule a visit with the hygienist
When it comes to keeping healthy teeth for life, preventing problems is easier, less expensive, and less traumatic than curing them. Large part of prevention is ensuring you are maintaining good oral hygiene practices between visits. This involves getting the right oral care products, as well as being mindful of your daily habits. If it has been more than 6 months since your last dental cleaning, you’re due.
Ready to smash your dental new year resolutions? book your next appointment at our award-winning dentists and get an 8-step oral screening to check for mouth cancer as part of your check up exam. You can book your check-up here.
