Create a New Year’s Resolution for a Healthier Smile!

At the beginning of every year, we all willingly make big or small New Year’s resolutions with the good intentions of hopefully maintaining them. One way to achieve these goals is by taking steps to implement good oral health and proper dental care. If this is something you happen to be struggling with, then continue reading to learn about useful tips that can help you improve your oral and overall health.

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Maintain A Regular Brushing Routine

Brushing your teeth on a regular basis is an excellent way to prevent gingivitis, staining, and other unsightly and potentially harmful oral diseases that could be lurking in your mouth. Most dentists recommend brushing at least twice a day, once in the morning before you start your day and once at night before going to bed. While this is a very feasible and effective method of preventing harmful bacteria from festering on the surface of your teeth and within your gum lines, it’s only the bare minimum preventative measure. In more extreme cases, you might be required to brush more than just twice a day, especially if you tend to consume a great deal of sugary foods and beverages.

Eliminate or Reduce Your Bad Habits

Everyone has certain vices or guilty pleasures that help to keep them grounded and relieve stress. Smoking and drinking too much are examples of these vices and unfortunately, both of these habits can cause problems with your health in countless ways, including the condition of your teeth. Not only does prolonged tobacco use stain your teeth significantly, it also has a lot of negative repercussions on your health. Of course, none of this is revolutionary information at this point. We’re all well aware of the negative effects of continued tobacco and alcohol use. While it’s difficult to quit using them cold turkey, it’s highly recommended that you at least try to cutback on your smoking and alcohol consumption for the sake of your health.

Start Flossing (If You Don’t Already)

Like brushing, flossing is an important part of your oral health routine and you should be doing it as often as possible. Most people only have to floss once every night before going to bed to remove all or most of the food particles that have become lodged between their teeth and gums throughout the day. However, in some cases, you might have to floss more often than that, depending on what you eat throughout the day. If you haven’t flossed in a while, then you might notice that your gums are inflamed, sore, sensitive, or bleed easily. All of these are symptoms of gingivitis and if they don’t subside within a week or two of commencing a flossing routine, you should consult your dentist immediately.

Schedule Routine Checkups and Cleanings with Your Dentist

Most patients only require one dental checkup or cleaning every six months as long as they’re in good health. However, some patients might require more frequent dental visits than that if they’re contending with severe dental health issues such as gingivitis, infections, or need a root canal. Scheduling regular visits with your dentist serves as an excellent way of detecting these issues early on before they develop into more serious conditions.

Princeview Dental Group has been practicing dentistry in the GTA for more than 20 years. Conveniently located in the heart of The Kingsway neighbourhood, we have helped patients with all kinds of oral health conditions ranging from routine checkups and cleanings to emergency dental procedures. To learn more about our clinic or schedule an appointment, please contact us.