How to have a healthy smile in the New Year
Maintain a healthy diet
A healthy diet has a significant impact on your overall health including your smile. A poor diet will make you miss some essential nutrients necessary for strong bones. Eating a range of food from all groups encourages healthy gums and teeth. Ensure to eat fruits, vegetables, calcium, proteins, and whole grains. These foods are appropriate for oral health and overall health. Lower your intake of sugar and substitute it for healthier options. Eat more dairy products to get calcium essential for teeth and fiber-rich foods for producing saliva that scrubs away bits of food and plaque.
Brush and floss regularly
Maintain a regular brushing and flossing schedule. You have to brush your teeth at least twice a day especially after eating. This habit will avoid common dental issues including gum disease and decay. When brushing, avoid rushing through the ordeal. Spend about two minutes brushing your teeth after meals and before hitting the bed. Equally important is flossing your teeth about once daily to keep your teeth clean.
Visit a Vancouver orthodontist
Perhaps you have not been happy about the alignment of your teeth or bite quality, visiting the best orthodontist Vancouver should top your to-do list in the new year. Some of the signs to tell when to see the orthodontist include protruding, misplaced, or crowded teeth. Additionally, visiting an orthodontist is necessary when having difficulty chewing, biting, or speaking. A professional orthodontist has the skill and equipment to diagnose and fix the problem.
Misaligned teeth cause facial imbalances making some of your facial features become disproportional to others. Fortunately, orthodontic treatment is the best solution to fix such teeth problems. Ensure not to miss any scheduled appointments with the orthodontist. These visits ensure sticking to the treatment plan to allow ending up with a better smile.
Protect your teeth from injury
For the active type, there is a high risk of injury to your teeth. When engaged in sports like boxing, using a mouth guard is very important. Equally important is using a full-face helmet when riding a motorbike or motorcycle. In case of a fall, your teeth are safe from an injury that might make it break or fall out. Never forget to carry your mouth guard or helmet when heading out to become active. In case you get a knocked tooth, hold it in place and rush to the nearest dental office. This will lessen the risk of losing the tooth.
Avoid smoking
Regular smoking encourages plaque and tartar on teeth leading to periodontal disease. Tobacco inhibits saliva flow in the mouth making oral bacteria stick to teeth and gums. When not removed early, this hardens to become plaque and tartar. This puts you at risk of periodontal disease or gum disease attacking teeth root leading to tooth loss.
Smoking interferes with blood flow leading blood restriction and infections. Additionally, smoking increases the risk of oral cancer, teeth discoloration, and bad breath. Quitting smoking is necessary to avoid the risk of such issues. You have to back this up with regular brushing and flossing before visiting a professional dentist.
Using teeth for only eating
Sometimes the temptation is high to use teeth for other purposes apart from chewing food. These might include cracking nuts, ripping packages open, and removing bottle tops. These activities put your teeth at risk of breaking or chipping. The solution is to use teeth always to chew food for protection from damage.
Stick to your dental appointment
It is very important to schedule a dental checkup at least twice annually. The frequency depends on the condition of your teeth. During the appointment, the dentist will check for any issues on your teeth and fix them before escalating. This will protect you from the high cost of remediating the problem on escalating. Additionally, the dentist might recommend cleaning to remove the build-up of stains to ensure that you have a whiter smile throughout 2020.
In a nutshell
Oral health has a significant effect on your overall health and general wellbeing. When making resolutions for the New Year, taking care of your dental health should not be ignored. This might include regular brushing and flossing, a healthy diet, protection from injury, quitting smoking, and visiting an orthodontist. Doing this will ensure that you maintain a bright smile with good overall health in the New Year.
