Taking care of yourself can seem like a full-time job. You’re in a constant state of double-checking your water intake, popping vitamins and trying to squeeze a round of exercise into your already overflowing schedule. When you have to visit the dentist? It’s yet another chore to mark off the list. You can, however, do wonders for your oral health by following the five tips below. Much of our health is premeditated on the tiny actions we take every day. From brushing to flossing, there’s no reason you can’t have a lovely smile all days of the year.
The advice below is perfect for children and busy adults alike. Let’s see how you can keep your gums and teeth healthy before you ever step foot into your local dentist’s office for a check-up.
Did You Know?
Putting off the dentist can have significant consequences on your health. Why not call for a check-up? Over 70% of respondents to a recent dental survey admitted an unattractive smile can hurt them professionally. Another 95% of adults surveyed by the American Academy Of Cosmetic Dentistry believe a healthy smile to be very important socially. There’s a lot that can be gleamed from a pair of pearly whites, that of which is much easier when you have a dentist on your side.
Brush After Every Meal
After every meal? That’s hard to fit into a busy schedule where it’s all you can do just to be on time. Brushing regularly, however, greatly reduces your chances of developing frustrating gum diseases and cavities. Due to our diets high in sugar, fat and caffeine, we have a much higher propensity for poor mouth health. Every little effort goes a long way in keeping your mood and your smile gleaming. Remember to change your brush every few months so the bristles are strong enough to tackle stubborn plaque.
Floss On A Daily Basis
If brushing after every meal seems like a lot of work, flossing can cause many to throw in the towel. Where brushing removes plaque build-up and massages your gums, flossing eliminates hard-to-reach food in-between your teeth. Left unchecked these seemingly negligible bits of food can lead to cavities, that of which can lead to painful root canals and future extractions. It’s estimated one in five Americans has one or more untreated cavities as we know it. Floss comes in traditional string and handy little single-use forms to suit all tastes.
Get Your Teeth Cleaned Frequently
What should you ask out of your general dentist? Drop by for a teeth cleaning session. Even the most dedicated person flossing multiple times per day can still be susceptible to unseen issues they can’t solve on their own. Over 40% of children will have dental cavities by the time they start kindergarten and, according to data provided by the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, nearly half of American adults are living with periodontal disease. Teeth cleaning can catch any spots you missed and diagnose problems before they get worse.
Reach Out To Cosmetic Dentistry
Yellow stains, brown spots and crooked incisors can take a toll on your self-esteem. Even if you’ve avoided cavities you can still feel like your hard work hasn’t amounted to much when you look in the mirror. A cosmetic dentist can patch away some of that discoloration in just a few sessions, creating a smile you thought only delegated to the covers of magazines. While over-the-counter teeth whitening products exist, they often provide weak and temporary results that just don’t compare to family dentists.
Visit Your Local Dentist Yearly
It’s recommended by the majority of professionals that you drop by your local dentist office on a yearly basis. Despite this, it’s estimated around 30% of Americans will delay going to the dentist for years. This is more than enough time for all sorts of issues to take root and cause you pain, manifesting as results that may require surgery to reverse. When nearly 20% of children aged 19 or younger suffer from untreated cavities and periodontal disease is on the rise, frequent visits will save you a lot of time and pain.
Make the most out of your health with general dentistry and general good habits this year.
