The new year is just around the corner; for many, this is a time to set resolutions for the year ahead. While considering your personal and professional goals in the final countdown to 2023, remember to prioritise your health. Ensure you do the following five things to get a smile you’re proud of.
1. Take good care of your teeth at home
Attending dental appointments is essential to maintaining good oral health, but between these annual or bi-annual check-ups, you must take care of your teeth and gums at home. To do this, make sure you are brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. We recommend an electric toothbrush over a manual one to get a more thorough clean. Whether you use an electric or manual toothbrush, brush for two minutes and don’t neglect the backs of your teeth or those teeth at the back of your mouth.
After brushing, we encourage you to floss with a TePe brush. A TePe brush can get into the spaces where a brush can’t reach, helping to remove pieces of food and get an overall better clean. Regular brushing and using a TePe brush helps to prevent plaque build-up which is imperative as plaque build-up can lead to subsequent problems such as gum disease or tooth loss.
To ensure you’re brushing your teeth properly, download our FREE guide to a healthy mouth, which includes a printable, step-by-step tooth brushing guide!
2. Adopt a healthy diet
We often forget that our food can also affect our oral health. Not only should you adopt a healthy diet to help your physical health, but the foods you consume can also help your mouth and gums.
Did you know fruits contain enzymes and vitamins that are great for oral health? Apples and other fibrous fruits can help clean your teeth and increase salivation, which can neutralise the citric and malic acids left behind in your mouth and gently remove plaque. Apples also contain about 15% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin C, which is essential for keeping your teeth strong. If apples aren’t your favourite snack, strawberries also contain Vitamin C and the natural tooth-whitening enzyme of malic acid.
When preparing dinner, try to incorporate vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and celery. These harder vegetables stimulate your gums when chewing, and the texture forces you to chew more than you usually would. This is helpful as it helps you develop a stronger jaw, and a stronger jaw means your teeth are less likely to be damaged easily. Like fruit, vegetables are also packed with vitamins that benefit your oral health, so add them to the shopping list to keep your family healthy.
To learn what other foods are great for your oral health, click here.
3. Attend regular dental appointments
Attend dentist and hygienist appointments as often as recommended. This could be annual or bi-annual, depending on the condition of your oral health. It’s important to regularly attend appointments as not only will your dentist advise you on ways to improve your oral health, but they’re also checking for early signs of gum disease, tooth loss or oral cancer.
If you’ve been recommended treatment by a dentist, be sure to go ahead and not delay the process, as you don’t want to exacerbate the problem, which could lead to additional unnecessary treatments or costs. At Mola Dental, we have 0% finance options to help you spread the cost of treatment.
4. Ditch bad habits
As we move into 2023, it’s time to ditch the bad habits. If you smoke, there is support available to help you stop.
Smoking isn’t just bad for your body; it’s also bad for your oral health. Smoking can lead to gum disease, bad breath, tooth loss, and oral cancer. It can also lead to an increased build-up of plaque and tartar and slower healing following oral surgery.
Quitting smoking can significantly help your oral health as you get fresher smelling breath and reduce the chances of getting gum disease and oral cancer.
Similarly, excessive drinking can be detrimental to your oral health too. Many alcoholic drinks are acidic and high in sugar, leading to tooth decay and gum disease. If you drink alcohol, stick to the recommended guidelines of no more than 14 units a week, spread over three days or more. It would help if you also tried to have a few drink-free days every week.
5. Treat yourself
Don’t rule out cosmetic treatment if your smile makes you self-conscious for any reason (e.g., you feel like your teeth could be whiter, straighter etc.). At Mola Dental, you can choose from a range of safe, affordable cosmetic dental or facial aesthetic treatments to help you look and feel your best. If you have an insecurity but are unsure what treatment is right for you, download our guide to the seven different options for your smile makeover.
Are you looking to join a private dentist in Sheffield in 2023?
If you’re based in Sheffield and looking to join a private dentist, then we have good news, we’re taking on new patients! We have evening and weekend appointments available to provide slots that suit you. Moreover, we have various dental plans available, making us the most affordable private dentist in Sheffield. To browse our range of plans and become a patient, click here.