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For 5 dental resolutions you should keep in 2023, read this guide from La Jolla Dental Image.
What Are 5 New Year’s Resolutions I Can Make For A Healthier Smile?
- Continue To Brush And Floss Every Day
- Cut Down On Coffee, Soda, And Sugar
- Eat More Fruits, Veggies, And Calcium-Rich Foods
- Drink More Water
- Don’t Forget To Visit Your Dentist Twice A Year
Brush Your Teeth Twice A Day And Floss At Least Once
Although it seems like a simple routine, brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing are some of the best preventative dental care habits anyone can have. Having proper oral hygiene habits are essential for safeguarding your teeth and gums from both tooth decay and gum disease.
Brushing your teeth helps to remove food particles and plaque, a thin film that accumulates on teeth and can cause cavities and decay if not removed. Plaque can also harden into tartar. If left unaddressed, tartar can potentially lead to gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease. Flossing after eating is important as well. Floss can stick to plaque and leftover food debris that brushing alone cannot adequately remove. To obtain the best results, brush your teeth for two minutes each morning and before bed.
Why Should I Cut Down On Coffee, Soda, And Sugar?
When it comes to preserving your tooth enamel, it can be wise to reduce your intake of sugar, coffee, soda, and other acidic foods and beverages. Sugars leftover on the surface of your teeth can turn into acid in the mouth, eroding the enamel on your teeth if not rinsed away or brushed away by good hygiene habits.
Similarly, acidic fruits, teas, coffee, and the carbonation in soda can also deteriorate tooth enamel, so it is crucial to be conscious of how much you consume. You don’t need to completely remove these items from your diet, but it is essential to be aware of how they can affect your tooth enamel and why good oral hygiene habits matter.
How Can Eating More Fruits, Veggies, And Calcium-Rich Foods Boost My Smile?
Enjoying crunchy fruits and vegetables such as apples, celery, and carrots is a great way to keep your teeth healthy. Firm fruits and vegetables are fibrous and rich in water content, and chewing them helps remove the outer layer of plaque and bacteria from your teeth. The minerals and vitamins found in these fruits and vegetables are also beneficial for your oral health. While dried fruit, fruit gummies, and fruit leather may sound equally healthy, they are stickier with a higher sugar content, making them more likely to cling to the surface of your teeth.
The mineral calcium is essential in keeping your teeth and jaw bones healthy and strong. Dairy products, such as milk and cheese, are great sources of calcium, and aged cheeses like Monterey Jack, Swiss, and cheddar have been found to increase saliva production, which helps to remove food particles from the surface of teeth.
For those with lactose-intolerance, there are still plenty of calcium-packed options to choose from, like yogurt, kefir, tofu, lactose-free milk, and milk alternatives with added calcium. Additionally, salmon with bones and canned sardines are calcium-rich and contain Vitamin D too, which is essential to proper calcium absorption.
Is Drinking Water Good For My Oral Health?
Staying hydrated by choosing water over other beverages is an excellent way to maintain your oral health. Rinsing your mouth with water after ingesting sugary or acidic foods or beverages is a great way to wash leftover sugars and acids from the surface of your teeth, before they can do any damage to your tooth enamel.
Drinking water also helps with saliva production. Did you know that saliva plays an important role in keeping your mouth healthy? This clear liquid is naturally produced by the body, containing 98% water as well as electrolytes, mucus, enzymes, proteins, and antimicrobial compounds. It is essential for the health and functioning of your mouth and body, and fights infection and uses its mineral content to repair the enamel of your teeth.
Don’t Forget To Visit Your Dentist Twice A Year
In addition to brushing and flossing at home, regular dental visits are one of the best ways to prevent and detect dental diseases. Even if you do not have a toothache or you do not think your mouth shows any signs of disease, your dentist can identify issues you may have missed and help you get early treatment.
For patients in La Jolla and the surrounding San Diego neighborhoods, consider La Jolla Dental Image. At La Jolla Dental Image, our mission is to deliver exceptional, high-quality and comprehensive dental care to all of our patients in a friendly, caring and relaxed environment. Dr. Hamidy and our team focus on educating patients about their dental needs to help them achieve the highest form of oral health. With more than 15 years of experience, Dr. Hamidy offers a wide array of dentistry services in general and cosmetic dentistry, restorative treatment, gum therapy, orthodontics, implant services and many more. For an appointment, call 858-202-0481 today.