With a new year upon us, many people are looking into ways they can increase their health and wellbeing. Our practice has compiled five, easy-to-follow tips to improve your oral health this year. If it’s time for a cleaning or checkup, call our office to reserve an appointment.
Visit the Dentist Regularly
Part of establishing and maintaining good oral health is by visiting your oral healthcare provider regularly for checkups and cleanings. Patients should visit us twice a year, every six months. Regularly visiting our practice will increase your odds of detecting potential problems early on. Early detection of oral disease can save you money and time spent in the dental chair for corrective treatments.
Brush Twice a Day
If you want to keep your teeth and gums healthy, you should thoroughly brush your teeth two to three times a day. Not only should brushing your teeth be at least a twice-daily occurrence, you should use proper techniques when brushing. People should brush all surfaces of their teeth, their gums, their tongue, and the roof of their mouth thoroughly for about 2 minutes. Proper and thorough brushing is necessary for controlling oral bacteria and plaque.
Floss Every Day
Brushing is simply not enough to thoroughly clean teeth and gums. Since a brush cannot reach between teeth, flossing is a must. You should be flossing between all teeth and along the gums every day. Flossing will help control the accumulation of harmful substances, stimulate the gums, disrupt colonies of bacteria that form at the gum line.
Drink Plenty of Water
Water isn’t just for hydrating your body. Drinking water helps your oral wellness, too. First, it is important to stay hydrated so that soft oral tissues remain moist. Secondly, water helps rinse one’s mouth and dilutes harmful substances like acid. We encourage patients to drink at least 64-ounces of water each day.
Avoid Sugar and Acid
Sugar and acid can do a lot of damage to your oral health. Bacteria feed and multiply when feeding on sugar molecules while acid weakens tooth enamel by stripping its mineral content. Avoiding these substances whenever possible can help prevent tooth decay.
These five tips will help you increase your oral health. For additional tips or to schedule a visit, contact the office of Dr. Philip Kozlow at 972-458-2464.