Your Top New Year’s Oral Health Resolutions for 2017
2017 is just around the corner! What’s on your list for New Year’s Resolutions this year?
Whether you’d like to lose weight or stop smoking, your oral health is impacted by the choices you’ll make in the upcoming year. By incorporating a few dental health goals into your list, you can have a healthy body and smile in the New Year!
What are the top New Year’s oral health resolutions for you in 2017?
- Quit Smoking
If you’re still smoking, now is a great time to quit!
Did you know that smoking significantly increases your chances of getting gum disease? In fact, you’re twice as likely to get gum disease as a person who doesn’t smoke. The same is true if you use other tobacco products even chewing tobacco contains 28 different chemicals that have been proven to cause cancer, especially oral cancer.
You can decrease your risk for gum disease and oral cancer simply by ceasing the use of tobacco products. Since smoking also causes dry mouth and chronic bad breath, these problems will also improve when you quit. You can also decrease your chances of having yellow teeth and tooth loss when you stop smoking.
Talk to your doctor for more help and resources when you set a date to quit. Your Asheville dentist can help restore your smile as your body and mouth heal!
- Eat Less Sugar
Sugar is present in many different foods and drinks, but the one thing they all have in common is that they’re bad for your oral health. Whether it’s in the form of sodas, cookies, or even alcohol, sugar is consumed by oral bacteria that secrete acids that eat away your protective tooth enamel.
Eating less sugar can not only decrease your risk for cavities but can have a positive effect on your entire body. Sugar is essentially empty calories, meaning you’re consuming more calories without getting any added nutrients. Sugar also increases your risk for high cholesterol and diabetes in addition to cavities!
Since the presence of sugar in the mouth is affected by many things (including saliva content, existing oral health, and eating a well-balanced diet), it’s important to balance your consumption of sugar with plenty of water and healthy foods in addition to maintaining proper oral health.
Make eating less sugar part of your New Year’s Resolution for 2017 for a healthy smile!
- Schedule a Consultation for Restorative Dentistry
If you’ve been putting off restorative dental work because of financial concerns or dental anxiety, 2017 is the year to schedule an appointment with your dentist in Asheville to get your beautiful smile back!
Talk to our office about third-party financing often at 0% interest for your restorative dentistry needs. You might be surprised at what your dental insurance will cover, and even if you don’t have dental insurance, you can talk with us about payments or financing. Your smile is one of the most important things about you, so don’t wait any longer to use it!
Whether you need a cavity filled or more involved work such as bridges, veneers, or dental implants, Saunders DDS can help. We meet with you during your consultation to examine your smile and learn what your options are for restoring your teeth.
From replacing missing teeth to improving the appearance of your smile, we can help. Don’t let financial worries or dental anxiety hold you back our friendly, comfortable office is here to make you feel at ease. We welcome all patients, regardless of how long it’s been since your last appointment!
- Visit Your Dentist
Mark your calendar for your six-month checkup with your dentist in Asheville! Simple bi-yearly checkups are imperative for maintaining a great smile. Your Asheville dentist performs a dental exam on your teeth and gums, and can even conduct an oral cancer screening.
In addition to identifying any cavities or signs of gum disease, your dentist in Asheville performs a thorough teeth cleaning to remove any plaque or tartar that’s built up over time. Having a professional Asheville dentist examine your teeth, gums, and even your jaw and bite for problems or signs of temporomandibular joint disorder can help immensely!
Your dentist can even talk with you about other symptoms you’re experiencing that could point to another disorder. For instance, snoring, dry mouth, or morning headaches could be signs of sleep apnea, while migraine headaches and facial tension could point to a problem with your temporomandibular joint, or the joint that connects your jaw and your skull.
Visiting your Asheville dentist prevents oral health problems and keeps your smile healthy, so make a point to schedule every six months in 2017. Missing your professional cleaning has more consequences than you think!
- Drink More Water
Staying hydrated is so important for your smile. Not only does it help balance good and bad bacteria in your mouth, but it also acts as a buffer against many of the acidic foods we eat, therefore lessening the chances of enamel damage.
Drinking enough water throughout the day also helps to keep your mouth clean as it’s like rinsing your mouth with every sip! It can help reduce chances for cavities and even keep your breath fresh, as dry mouth can often lead to stinky breath.
This New Year, make a resolution to drink more water throughout the day. While beverages like coffee and juice are fine in moderation, water really is the best thing for your smile so drink up!
- Brush and Floss Regularly
You may already do this or maybe you skip brushing sometimes at night. Or perhaps you can’t remember the last time you’ve flossed your teeth. Regardless, it’s a New Year! So make it a habit to brush and floss regularly as part of your oral care routine in 2017.
Simply by brushing for two minutes two times a day, you can remove plaque, bacteria, and prevent cavities and gum disease. Combined this with flossing just once a day and you’ll be a superstar at your next dentist visit!
Brushing and flossing are simple practices, but they go a long way to help improve your oral health, which can help your heart health too! If you’ve been slacking on taking care of your mouth, now is the time to get back on track. Don’t forget to brush your teeth in the morning, and get in the habit of flossing every day at the same time this will help you make a routine and stick to it.
This holiday season, make plans to take better care of your oral health in the New Year. There are all things we can improve on when it comes to our oral health habits. Whether you’d like to eat less sugar and drink more water, or just commit to brushing and flossing regularly, every positive action you do can help your smile. Visit your dentist in January and smile wide all year long. Happy New Year!