As the saying goes, you don’t have to brush your teeth, just the ones you want to keep! Proper care of your teeth not only contributes positively to your oral health but your overall health as well. Caring for your teeth is not only about having a bright smile. According to dental clinic in Brandon, you need to maintain healthy teeth and gums in order to reduce the possibility of tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer. Following are some of the simple and effective ways of keeping your teeth healthy.
Watch Your Sweet Tooth
Since we were children, we have heard the negative effects of having too much candy can have on the teeth. As you grow up, you may not eat as sticky candy as you did as a child, but even adults consume many sugar-rich foods and drinks. Plaque and bacteria use the acids in sugary foods to attack the strong enamel of your teeth. When this is continued over a period of time, eventually it leads to tooth decay and many other oral diseases. Therefore, you need to reduce the intake of sweetened food and drinks, and if you do consume them, remember to rinse your mouth with water to prevent any damage.
Try Healthier Dietary Options
While you refrain from food that can hurt your teeth, you need to work on consciously changing your diet to include more oral health-friendly food. Change your daily snacks to healthier options like apples and carrots. They have cleansing abilities that will rinse off plaque buildup on the surfaces of your mouth as you munch on them. An apple a day can surely keep your cavities away! Moreover, drinking a healthy amount of water throughout the day helps to rinse off any leftover food debris from your teeth while keeping you well hydrated at the same time.
Give Extra Protection to Your Teeth
External damage to your teeth is more common than you think. If you are playing contact sports or regularly do intense workouts, investing in a good quality mouthguard from a credible dental clinic such as Chancellor Dental can save you from severe damage to your teeth that can potentially happen. A mouthguard also gives you extra protection if you grind your teeth while you sleep. If you have a dental implant or a dental restoration such as a bridge or a crown done, wearing a proper mouthguard increases the longevity of that appliance or procedure.
Regular Visits to Your Dentist
Last but not least, this is one of the most important steps to ensuring long-term good oral health and many people, unfortunately, overlook it. When you visit your Brandon dentist at least every 6 months for a checkup, you are able to treat any oral health issues that you have before they become too serious and require drastic measures such as tooth extraction. You are also able to get a professional cleaning, which will remove any plaque buildup. Your dentist can recognize any early symptoms of gum disease or oral cancer and potentially save you from high-risk health issues as well.
