Your daily habits have a significant influence on the quality of your oral health. In addition to seeing your dentist bi-annually for a checkup, a healthy diet and oral hygiene routine will help prevent tooth decay. Here are the four best ways to keep your smile healthy.
1. Floss Daily To Prevent Tooth Decay
At least once daily, it is essential to floss between your teeth to clear away stuck food and plaque. Even after brushing, there may still be areas between your teeth that a toothbrush cannot reach. To prevent plaque from building up, floss every evening and after eating foods that tend to get stuck between your teeth, such as apple skins or steak.
2. Brush Your Teeth Twice Daily
Everyone knows that brushing your teeth twice daily is one of the top preventative oral health measures. Brushing gently along the gumline each evening helps to dislodge and scrub away any food particles and harmful bacteria that create plaque. Since your mouth is drier at night, plaque hardens quicker while you sleep than when you are awake. For this reason, brush your teeth every morning, even if you cleaned them the night before.
3. Avoid Processed and Sugary Foods
Sugar is one of the most notorious culprits of tooth decay in an otherwise healthy person of any age. Bad bacteria thrive on sugar and produce acids that eat through tooth enamel and cause cavities. Starchy processed foods such as pasta, bread, and cake have the additional danger of sticking to your teeth. This stubborn residue makes it much easier for plaque to build on your teeth.
4. Make Healthy Food Choices
Just as some foods impact your oral health negatively, unprocessed foods have a direct positive effect on your smile. Nutritious food groups, including dairy, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and lean protein, help maintain your oral health by providing essential vitamins. Vegetables with high fiber content, such as carrots and celery, have the additional benefit of cleaning your teeth and encouraging saliva production.
Conclusion
Your oral health routine and diet choices determine the quality of your dental health. In between dentist visits every six months, adopting daily healthy habits reduces your risk of developing cavities. Drinking plenty of water, limiting sugar and processed foods, and flossing and brushing help prevent tooth decay.
At Dr. Stacy D. Johnson Comfortable Dentistry, we cover your and your family’s oral surgery and dentistry needs. Read more about our services here.
