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We all know that brushing your teeth is essential to a healthy smile, but it’s not the only thing you can do to support your oral health. Alongside brushing twice a day, here are six other dentist-recommended ways you can keep your teeth and gums in tip top shape.
Say no to sugary drinks
One of the biggest cavity culprits is an over-consumption of sugary drinks. Fizzy, sports drinks and fruit juices are often full of sugars that then have the opportunity to settle on your teeth and wreak havoc on your enamel. This is a particular problem for children, which is why dentists always recommend directing your youngsters towards healthier options like water or milk rather than these sugar-laden beverages.
Get your five a day
A balanced diet supports healthy teeth in a few ways. First, by opting for healthy foods, you are naturally limiting the amount of sugar in your diet and therefore on your teeth. Another more surprising benefit is the crunch-factor. Crunchy fruits and vegetables cleanse your teeth’s surface and clear away plaque, plus they stimulate saliva, which acts as your mouth’s natural line of defence. Finally, there’s the health-promoting vitamins and nutrients that fruits and vegetables are filled with.
Swishing water
Our Tauranga dentists are still human, so we’re not going to ask you to give up your morning coffee or your evening merlot! Instead, we recommend swishing water around your mouth after indulging in these high-stain foods. Rinsing with water afterwards will protect your teeth by helping to remove the tannins, which are responsible for staining. Brushing, on the other hand, shouldn’t be done within 30 minutes of finishing these acidic drinks.
Mindfulness
I know meditation or hypnotherapy can do a lot, you may be thinking, but surely it can’t be linked to healthier teeth?! Well actually, if you’re a sufferer of clenched jaws or grinding teeth, it can. If mindfulness practices help relax your body, these bad habits are likely to improve. And that’s a good thing for your smile, as clenched jaws and grinded teeth can lead to pain and headaches, as well as chipped, fractured or loosened teeth.
Protect your mouth
Injuries and accidents can be limited by taking appropriate protective actions like wearing a mouthguard during high contact sports. By offering a layer of cushioning, this simple step protects your teeth and gums, lips, tongue and jaws. To find the right mouthguard for you or your child, or to talk about custom-made mouthguard options, talk to your dentist.
Dentist appointments
Booking your six-monthly dentist appointment is one of the best ways to make sure you are staying on top of your oral health. If you’ve been following the above five tips, alongside brushing of course, your dentist appointments should be quick and painless. But if there is anything wrong, from cavities to crowns to chips, it’s best caught early.
Book an appointment with one of Tauranga’s leading dentists by calling Duncan Dental today.
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