Dental Care Tips to Keep Your Smile Healthy This Year
At Brightwork Family Dentistry, in Richmond, VA, we hope that all our patients and their families had a pearly white holiday season while enjoying all your celebrations and savoring every delicious indulgence. The holidays may be over, but your journey to a healthy mouth continues. Here are some dental care tips for how you can keep your teeth healthy and maintain oral hygiene to benefit overall health in 2024.
Stick to Your Dental Care Routine: Brush and floss (duh)
The holidays are busy, but now that they are over, it’s essential to stick to the twice-a-day dental routine. Consistent brushing and flossing are important for a healthy smile. Brushing helps to prevent tooth decay, bad breath, and gum disease by getting rid of the plaque that is on the surface of your teeth. Flossing is essential to remove any food and plaque that gets stuck between your teeth and along the gum line to aid in preventing gum disease and cavities. Using the two together is necessary for effective routine dental care that keeps your smile bright. For more information on flossing, check out our Myths and Facts about Flossing blog.
Enjoy Foods That Promote a Healthy Smile
Start the year right by choosing foods that not only taste great but also promote dental health. Remember, what you eat significantly impacts your oral hygiene. Adopting a balanced diet and reducing sugar intake are a couple of key components in learning how to improve oral health effectively. Aim to eat foods that encourage strong teeth and gums, reducing the risk of cavities and gum disease.
Veggies: The Food That Cleans Your Teeth
The charcuterie board may have been having a moment, but don’t forget the timeless beauty of a good crudités tray. If you come across some vegetable snack trays at your family events, use them to your advantage! Snacking on crunchy vegetables like carrots and broccoli can help keep teeth clean in between more indulgent nibbles and is a great habit to continue into this new year.
Fruit and Cheese: The Ultimate Pair
Unsure about how to satisfy your sweet tooth? Stick to the habit of snacking on fruits like ripe pears or juicy oranges as an occasional alternative to other more sugary treats – your teeth will thank you for the natural sweetness with less of a sugary impact. What better way to incorporate protein into your diet than adding some cheese to your fruit tray? Delicious and protein-packed, cheese also stimulates saliva production to help neutralize the acids in your mouth and protect your teeth.
Beware the Sticky Stuff
The New Year is the perfect time to start eating less of those chewy caramels, crunchy nut brittles, sticky candies, and all other kinds of filling-pullers. Sometimes, we just really need unhealthy treats. Just remember to be cautious, as they can be tough on your teeth. Enjoy them in moderation, chew carefully, and be sure to brush your teeth afterward.
Keep Your Teeth Strong: Don’t Use Them as Tools
This is a year-round rule: don’t use your teeth as tools. No matter the season, avoid using your teeth to open stubborn packaging, tear off tags, crack nuts, open bottles, or for any purpose other than chewing and smiling for family photos.
Replace Old Products in Your Dental Care Routine
If you have any new dental hygiene products, it’s time to put them to good use! The New Year is a great time to start fresh with a new toothbrush, dental floss, brush picks, replacement brush heads, and sugarless gum.
Make a Healthy Smile Your New Year’s Resolution
With the gift wrap recycled and the holiday lights packed away, continue the New Year with good habits to keep your teeth strong and your mouth healthy. Now is the perfect time to schedule your routine dental care and checkup appointment – Our team at Brightwork Family Dentistry in Richmond, VA is ready and waiting to help you keep a clean and bright smile in the year ahead!