Now that the new year is here, you may have already made a list for your New Year’s resolutions. Common resolutions include saving more money, getting a better job, and most commonly, losing weight.
Many people set new goals that revolve around working towards having a healthier lifestyle in the new year. So, why not make one of your resolutions for bettering your dental health?
Here are a few healthy resolutions you can implement to help you keep your teeth healthy, and give you a brighter, healthier smile in the coming year:
- Eating plenty of fruits and veggies: Many people don’t realize that eating well is important for your dental health. When you have poor nutrition, it can affect your entire immune system. This increases your vulnerability to many common oral disorders, including gum disease.
Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts contain antioxidants and other nutrients that help improve the body’s ability to fight bacteria and inflammation. This can help you protect your teeth and gums. Crisp fruits and raw vegetables like apples, pears, carrots, and celery have been shown to help clean plaque from teeth and freshen breath.
- Quit your bad habits: Using products that contain tobacco has been proven to be harmful to our mouths in several ways. They cause tooth discoloration, cavities, gum recession, gum disease, and increase your risk for developing throat, lung, and oral cancer. Smokers are roughly twice as likely to lose their teeth compared to those who don’t smoke. Luckily, the risk of tooth loss declines after quitting.
- Cut Back on Processed Sugar: Nowadays, it is known that there is a direct link between the amount of sugar a person eats and the amount of tooth decay they have. Cutting back on the amount of processed sugar you eat cuts back on your risk of developing tooth decay by a lot. An easy way to cut back on sugar is to reduce how many sugary treats you consume.
- Perfect Your Brushing Technique: Have you ever thought about how you brush your teeth? As in, your brushing technique? Not a lot of people do. If you’re using the wrong amount of pressure or using an improper angle, it can actually harm your gums. When you brush, hold the bristles at an angle. For a manual toothbrush, use gentle and short back-and-forth motions. Use light pressure and allow the tips of the bristles to brush across your teeth and along the gumline. Electric toothbrush users should make sure they slowly guide the brush head across your teeth and gum line. The goal is to touch every surface with a light touch.
- Your flossing technique matters too: You need to make sure that you floss one tooth at a time and that you’re gently sliding the floss between your teeth, all the way into space where your tooth and gum meet. Carefully slide the floss along the side of one tooth, using an up-and-down motion, then do the same on the side of the other tooth. Repeat the process for each tooth.
One easy goal is to make sure regular dental checkups are an essential part of your dental care routine. In order to keep your oral health in check, make yearly dental visits with Foothill Dental Care in Livermore. We’ll ensure that you get professional cleanings, as well as x-rays and other services so that you can help keep your smile radiant and healthy.