If you are looking for a resolution, look no further than your mouth. Improving your oral health is an excellent way to start the new year. Your oral health is connected to your overall well-being. When you improve your oral health, you will see benefits all over your body. Additionally, having good oral health reduces your chances of developing serious illnesses. We provide our patients with a number of preventive dental care services.
For example, people who have gum disease are more likely to have heart problems. This is due to plaque buildup and your immune system. When plaque builds along and under your gum line, your gums become inflamed. This sparks an immune response to fight the infection. Unfortunately, your immune system can become overwhelmed over time, making it harder to fight off infections. In addition, the same plaque that builds on your teeth is the same type of plaque that builds in your arteries. If you have gum disease and seek a solution, please see Periodontal therapy.
Therefore, there is a connection between your oral and overall health. Therefore, the best way you can treat yourself in the new year is to improve your oral health.
Consistent Flossing
If you don’t already, you need to add flossing to your daily routine. However, flossing the day before you visit the dentist is not enough to protect you from gum disease. In fact, it won’t fool your dentist into thinking that you floss more often. You should floss every day because brushing alone is not enough to keep a healthy mouth.
Unlike brushing, flossing allows you to reach places that your toothbrush cannot. Even the best toothbrushes cannot completely remove plaque from between your teeth and under your gum line. Therefore, you need to floss to improve your oral health. People who do not floss are much more likely to develop tooth decay and gum disease.
Switch Your Brushing Routine
Most everyone brushes their teeth in the morning and before bed. One way that you can boost your oral health is to take a look at your morning routine. Consider brushing your teeth right after you wake up. If you brush your teeth before drinking coffee or eating breakfast, you can help minimize plaque.
During the night, plaque continues to build even after you brush your teeth. Therefore, when you wake in the morning, you will have more plaque that you need to remove. In addition, eating or drinking coffee when you still have plaque on your teeth will create an environment where stains will cling to your teeth.
It is better to brush your teeth first thing in the morning and then rinse your mouth after you eat.
Toothbrush
Another way to improve your oral health is to look at your toothbrush. First, be sure that you are using a soft-bristled brush. Hard-bristled toothbrushes can erode your enamel and scratch your gums.
In addition, your toothbrush has a shelf-life. This means that you should throw your toothbrush away after about three months. If you have an electric toothbrush, you should use another replacement head. The bristles can become worn or warped, which makes them inefficient for cleaning your teeth. Additionally, worn bristles can harbor bacteria.