New Year, Healthier Smile: Dental Hygiene Resolutions from Gasior Family Dental in Northville, MI
A new year is coming up, which means it’s time to start thinking about your resolutions. Why not make your dental hygiene a priority? Your oral health affects your overall well-being. This means that the more you take care of your smile, the more you’ll be helping the rest of your body stay healthy.
Here are five simple resolutions to help you get started with your Northville family dentists.
Five Dental Hygiene Resolutions
1. Schedule Appointments for Preventive Dental Care
Your dentist is your partner in helping you maintain a healthy smile for life. But first, you need to schedule a teeth cleaning appointment with our dental office. During your appointment, we’ll examine the inside of your mouth and possibly take X-rays. This will give us a full picture of your oral health. We’ll also remove plaque and tartar so you can avoid cavities and other oral health problems.
In general, we recommend that our patients see us every 6 months. Not only will this help you avoid future dental pain, but it’ll also help you save money in the long run. Preventive dental care is much less expensive than what it would cost to restore a badly decayed or damaged tooth. That’s why dental hygiene is so important!
2. Brush Your Teeth Twice a Day
Dedicate two minutes in the morning and two minutes in the evening for brushing your teeth. That’s four minutes total. Brushing your teeth twice a day will help you remove plaque from the surface of your teeth and gums.
If your teeth feel rough or “fuzzy,” that’s a sign that you have dental plaque buildup. The good news is that you can remove plaque at home by brushing twice a day. Once plaque hardens into tartar though, it can only be removed by a dental professional.
3. Don’t Forget to Floss
Floss your teeth once a day to remove any plaque hiding between teeth. To do this, wrap about 18” of floss around your middle fingers and pinch the floss between your thumbs and forefingers. Next, gently insert the floss between two teeth. Pull the floss against the side of your tooth until it makes a “C” shape. Then, move the floss up and down against the side of the tooth.
4. Start Using a Fluoride Mouth Rinse
Fluoride helps to remineralize the enamel. This is important because once you lose enamel, it’s gone for good. Patients who have lost enamel are more likely to have sensitive teeth. If you feel a twinge of pain or sensitivity when you drink a hot cup of coffee or indulge in ice cream, you may have already lost some tooth enamel. The good news is that you can prevent further enamel loss by brushing, flossing, and using a fluoride mouth rinse.
5. Be Mindful of How Much Sugar is in Your Diet
It’s impossible to change your entire diet overnight. But you can start with small steps, like substituting pop for water. Little by little you can start changing your diet in the direction you want it to go. Reducing sugar helps limit the food source for the bacteria in your mouth.
Learn More About Dental Hygiene
Our Northville family dentists understand that improving your dental hygiene takes time, persistence, and dedication. To request an appointment and learn how to improve your dental hygiene, call Gasior Family Dental at (248) 348-7997.