5 Ways to Have a Healthier Mouth in the New Year
With 2018 quickly approaching, it’s time to think about starting fresh again in the New Year. Last year, we talked about some of the best oral health improvements you could make. This year, we’ll be discussing how you can have a healthier smile in 2018.
A healthy smile is a beautiful smile. Teeth that are well cared for show it. When you keep on top of your oral care by brushing, flossing, and visiting your Asheville dentist, your radiant smile will be something you want to show the world.
If you think you have a healthy smile, consider whether or not you do the following five things. If not, you’ll want to start thinking about incorporating these items into your agenda for a great smile all year long in the New Year!
- Schedule Time to See your Dentist
Not seeing the dentist is a mistake that many people make. They think that if they brush and floss regularly, they’ll be fine.
The problem is that plaque is sneaky and can grow in places you can’t reach with a toothbrush. Although flossing helps reach some of this plaque, many people can’t remove all traces of this sticky substance
Your dentist does much more than clean your teeth. Oral cancer screenings, dental exams, and dental x-rays are all part of a comprehensive dentist visit. Your Asheville dentist examines your bite, gum tissue, and more during your appointment. Having a professional assist you with taking care of your smile not only helps you prevent tooth decay and gum disease but also keeps your smile looking its best.
This New Year, make an appointment to see your dentist. Take time to do your smile a favor. Even if you’re on top of brushing and flossing, your dentist provides the professional care that you can’t get at home with a toothbrush.
How often do you need to go? Although every six months is a general rule, your dentist may need you to come more or less often depending on your unique smile!
- Eat Healthier
More and more research is showing a link between eating healthy and having a healthy smile. For example, diets that are full of processed foods, sugar, and carbohydrates aren’t as ideal as diets rich in whole, nutritious foods that can help build up your smile.
For 2018, making a resolution to eat healthier may just help your oral health. Research shows that a healthy diet isn’t just linked to oral health diseases such as oral cancer and gum disease, but also to bodily disease as well.
By consuming more whole foods, you might just be able to impress your dentist at your next visit. What do these foods include?
- Vegetables. Vegetables either cooked or raw are excellent for your body as well as your smile. In fact, crunchy vegetables such as carrots and celery have been shown to help scrub away plaque!
- Protein. Protein such as that from fish, grass-fed beef, poultry, and nuts and beans may help strengthen tooth enamel and aid in repairing tissue that’s been damaged, such as gum tissue.
- Healthy fats. Essential fatty acids such as those found in fish may help you fight gum disease. Research has shown a link between appropriate omega-3 intake and a reduced risk of gum disease!
- Dairy or calcium. Calcium plays an important role in your smile. Although milk, cheese, and yogurt can all help strengthen your smile, leafy greens such as kale and spinach can also provide you with calcium if you’re lactose intolerant.
Are you making a resolution to eat healthier this year? It might just help your smile!
- Be Aware of Your Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol is not only a risk factor for oral cancer (as well as many other cancers), it’s also damaging when it comes to tooth enamel. Alcoholic drinks are very acidic and can erode tooth enamel, which can’t be replaced once it’s gone.
This year, be more aware of your alcohol consumption. There are many different guidelines about how much is safe to drink, but the less you can consume, the better. Even one drink per day for women has been shown to increase breast cancer risk. Alcohol has also been shown to increase plaque levels on your teeth.
By reducing your alcohol consumption, you can not only help reduce your risk for oral cancer but also help keep your tooth enamel healthy. Let’s not forget that red wine stains teeth, too!
- Floss
There’s been much debate about whether or not flossing is actually helpful for your smile, but dentists still recommend flossing your teeth. Flossing helps you get all the little areas you wouldn’t otherwise be able to reach with your toothbrush.
In fact, some professionals speculate that you’re missing up to 40% of your tooth surfaces when you skip flossing as part of your regular oral care routine.
Flossing, unlike brushing, only needs to be done once per day to help keep plaque at bay. Proper flossing will take about 18 inches of floss and a few minutes, but once it’s part of your oral care routine, you won’t even notice the extra time.
Make flossing a priority in 2018 to help remove plaque, create a healthier mouth, and feel better!
- Make a Cosmetic Dentistry Appointment
Have you been embarrassed about your smile but haven’t had the time or money to fix it? 2018 is the time to make that cosmetic dentistry consultation with your Asheville dentist.
Regardless of what brings you to our practice, Dr. Saunders will meet with you to discuss how we can improve your smile. From a simple whitening procedure to dental implants, bridges, dental bonding, or dental veneers, we talk about what your dream smile will look like.
You deserve to have the best, healthiest smile possible in 2018. Feeling let down by your smile or feeling like it doesn’t represent you isn’t something you should have to feel any longer. All of our cosmetic dentistry appointments are conducted thoroughly and with care and compassion. We want to help you look and feel your best.
We invite you to schedule that appointment to have a brilliant smile for the New Year and for every year after!
This New Year, you can make resolutions to have a healthier smile and adopt healthier habits. What’s holding you back from having your best smile? Whether it’s making a simple dental appointment or making adjustments to your daily diet, your best smile is worth every effort. Make an appointment with Saunders DDS today to discover how great your smile can look in 2018!