February is the month of love — and it’s the perfect time to make sure that you’re crushing on your smile.
While there are many paths to creating and maintaining gorgeous teeth, including cosmetic dentistry, it’s important to set yourself up for success with foundational practices.
At SMILE Advanced Dental Center in Summerville, SC, we recommend these five oral health tips for a beautiful smile:
- Brush your teeth twice a day.
Brushing your teeth is the most basic, yet one of the most essential, ways you can protect your oral health every single day — twice a day, in the morning and the evening. And it doesn’t have to feel like a chore!
Make sure to get a toothbrush and toothpaste you love using; you may even consider investing in an electric toothbrush.
Whether you’re using a manual or electric toothbrush, it’s important to brush correctly. Don’t scrub too hard — or “saw” back and forth. Instead, brush gently yet firmly with small, circular motions, to reach all sides of the tooth. Don’t forget your tongue!
- Floss at least once a day.
While you may have the brushing thing down pat, flossing can often be put to the sidelines because it’s one extra step that may be seen as unnecessary. We see it happen all the time in our practice, but it’s important to know that flossing is a game-changer for oral health.
Floss helps remove food particles and plaque from between your teeth that a toothbrush cannot reach. When the plaque isn’t removed, it can harden and lead to tartar and cause gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease.
Make sure to floss at least once a day!
If you have advanced dental work, like braces, bridges, and implants, a water flosser can be a helpful tool.
- Eat a well-balanced diet.
It’s important to eat a healthy diet to ensure optimal oral health. That means limiting processed sweets, candy (especially sticky candy!), and sugary drinks. Sugar converts to acid in the mouth, which can erode your tooth enamel and lead to cavities.
If you like coffee and wine, you may also notice some staining of your teeth, which can make you feel less than thrilled about your smile. So, you may want to consider limiting your consumption (drinking through a straw can help, too!).
While you don’t have to avoid these types of food and drink altogether, it’s important to be mindful — and brush and floss after consuming them.
- Don’t smoke.
We don’t have to tell you that tobacco products are not good for your lungs — or your overall health. But cigarettes and smokeless tobacco also stain your teeth, too.
And beyond general dentistry and aesthetic concerns, they compromise your gums and increase your risk of gum disease and oral cancer.
- Get routine check-ups and professional cleaning.
A routine dental cleaning and exam every six months is the most preventive — and vital — treatment you can do for your oral health.
Not only will your dentist clean built-up plaque and tartar, but they will also be able to identify and treat any tooth decay or gum disease, screen for oral cancer, and more.
A regular check-up also reinforces good habits!
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It’s time to love your smile again. Contact us to set up your dental cleaning or consultation today.
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