Be Thankful For Your Teeth
How often do you find yourself feeling thankful for your oral health? Probably not as often as you should. Oral health is something that we often take for granted until something begins to go wrong. For this reason, it's important to be thankful for our healthy smiles and to take the necessary steps to maintain them. In this blog post, we will discuss how to ensure you have great oral health throughout your life by providing helpful insight on various preventive measures and how your teeth change throughout your life. After learning more about your oral health, we hope you will be thankful for your beautiful pearly whites and healthy gums for years to come.
Preventative Maintenance and Regular Cleanings
The best way to maintain healthy teeth and gums is to practice preventive habits to avoid dental problems before they have a chance to develop. This means you should brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss at least once a day, and use mouthwash daily. Following a healthy dental routine such as this will help eliminate harmful acids, and food products stuck on or in between your teeth. Additionally, using mouthwash will eradicate harmful bacteria hiding on your tongue, teeth, and the inside of your cheeks.
In addition to these at-home practices, visiting the dentist regularly for professional cleanings and checkups is essential. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends you visit the dentist every six months for a routine cleaning and checkup. Not only is the dental hygienist able to give your teeth a proper "deep cleaning," but your dentist will be able to find a potential problem and address it before it becomes a severe issue.
Start Healthy Habits Young
It's never too early to start healthy oral hygiene habits. In fact, the American Dental Association recommends that you bring your child in for their first dental visit within six months of their first tooth erupting or by their first birthday - whichever date comes first.
The earlier you bring your child in for a dental appointment, the more comfortable they will be with visiting the dentist as they grow older. Making sure they are comfortable will make it easier to accept going to the dentist as part of their routine and not something they dread. Additionally, bringing your child in at a young age allows the dentist to get ahead of any potential problems by monitoring their oral health development and intervening when necessary.
Tips For Making Oral Care Fun
- Make it a game for them.
- Let your child take the lead.
- Lead by example by brushing your teeth with them.
- Play a fun song while they brush their teeth.
- Invest in a fun dental kit with fun dental tools to get them excited for the dentist!
The Effects of Age
As you age, your teeth will change. Some changes are unavoidable no matter how well you care for your teeth. One of the most common changes brought on by age is receding gums. Gum recession occurs when the gum tissue around the tooth begins to pull away, exposing more of the teeth or the root of the teeth. While receding gums is a normal part of aging, certain factors can speed up the process.
Common Causes of Accelerated Gum Recession
- Genetics
- Poor oral hygiene
- Tobacco use
- Grinding your teeth
- Brushing too hard
Solutions for Receding Gums
Although gum recession is typical in adults, that doesn't mean you have to accept it as part of the aging process. You can do things to prevent gum recession or stop it from getting worse. These include quitting smoking, practicing good oral hygiene, wearing a mouthguard at night, and seeing your dentist regularly for cleanings and checkups. If you're concerned about gum recession, talk to your dentist about what you can do to prevent it.
Sugary Treats and Your Teeth
You may love indulging in sugary snacks and drinks, but your teeth don't share the same sentiment. When sugar interacts with the bacteria in your mouth, it produces acids that eat away at your tooth enamel, causing cavities. The more sugar you consume, the greater the risk of developing cavities. When you indulge in a tasty treat, it is important to follow a thorough dental routine shortly after. Allowing the sugar to sit in your mouth can increase your chance of developing cavities, which can become a more severe problem such as tooth decay.
Not all sugars are created equal, though. Some are worse for your teeth than others. Sticky candies are particularly bad for your teeth because they adhere to your teeth and gums, allowing the sugar to interact with the bacteria in your mouth for extended periods. Hard candy is also detrimental to oral health because if you bite down too hard, you risk cracking or chipping a tooth.
Remember To Be Thankful for Your Oral Health
This year, be sure to give thanks for your oral health! Take the necessary steps to maintain oral hygiene and see the dentist regularly to ensure your teeth remain healthy as you age. A little preventive care goes a long way in ensuring you have something to be thankful for year after year.
At ProHEALTH Dental, we are passionate about helping our patients achieve and maintain a healthy smile. We offer a wide range of dental services for patients of all ages. Please contact us today to schedule an appointment.