5 New Year’s Resolutions for a Healthy Smile
Now that the New Year is here, you have probably started to think about what resolutions you want to accomplish this year. Most people want to save money, find a better job, or lose weight. Many people also have goals to have a healthier lifestyle. It is the perfect time to make one of your New Year’s resolutions to involve your oral health. Healthy solutions aimed at your teeth can improve your oral health and give you a brighter, healthier smile.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
A healthy diet is essential for your dental health. Poor nutrition can negatively affect your immune system, increasing your vulnerability to common oral disorders, like gum disease. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts are full of antioxidants and other nutrients that can help improve your body’s ability to fight bacteria and inflammation. This can help protect your teeth and gums. Also, eating plenty of crisp fruits and raw vegetables is a great way to clean plaque from teeth and freshen breath.
Stop Using Tobacco Products
Tobacco use can harm your mouth in several ways. It increases your risk for tooth discoloration, cavities, gum recession, gum disease, throat, lung, and oral cancer. Chronic cigarette smokers are roughly twice as likely to lose their teeth compared to non-smokers. Smoking tobacco is not the only thing that can negatively affect your oral health – smokeless tobacco can be just as harmful.
Cut Back on Your Alcohol Intake
Excessive alcohol consumption influences your overall health, including your oral health. The Academy of General Dentistry reports that those who smoke, eat poorly, and excessively consume alcohol have increased gum recession. Studies have shown that smokers who regularly consume alcohol are less likely to brush their teeth regularly and tend not to be concerned about their health.
Brush Twice a Day, Floss Once a Day
Brushing and flossing help protect your teeth from decay and various diseases. These conditions are usually the result of teeth’s most persistent enemy, plaque. This colorless, sticky film is full of harmful bacteria that builds up on your teeth every day. By brushing and flossing your teeth, you can remove plaque from between teeth and below the gum line, where decay and gum disease often begins. If you do not properly brush and floss your teeth, you are at risk of developing bleeding gums, which may worsen gingivitis and eventually gum disease. Diseases of the mouth can affect the rest of your body, so it is imperative to get your oral health under control.
See Your Dentist for Regular Checkups
Seeing your dentist at least twice a year can help prevent any dental health problems before they cause discomfort or require more expensive treatment. Regularly visiting the dentist can help you monitor your oral health and your address any concern. Give Foothill Dental Care in Livermore a call today at (925) 961-5484 to schedule an appointment.