Resolutions are great, especially when they are realistic. We have plenty of patients who come to their appointments with an apologetic attitude. If you’re nervous about visiting the dentist, you may be familiar with the following:
“I know, I know, I should be better at flossing.”
“I’m trying to switch to tea over coffee.”
“I’m embarrassed, this is my first dentist visit in years.”
We want our patients to be comfortable and feel good about visiting Babylon Dental Care. No matter how good your intentions are, you may never actually cut back on your coffee consumption. You may continue to avoid flossing. You may not make it to the dentist one year. Despite the habits you may have, there are still things you can do to protect your smile.
In the new year, instead of making yourself feel bad about everything you’re not doing, we’ve got some tips and alternatives to help you out. It may not surprise you to know that the very best treatment to protect your teeth and overall dental health is the least flashy. To learn more and schedule an appointment with our team, give us a call today at (631) 983-6665.
Brushing and Flossing
There’s no getting around brushing. If you want to keep your teeth, you need to brush them. We recommend at least two minutes, which breaks down to about thirty seconds in each quadrant of your mouth. Many people tend to spend more time in one section of the mouth, but there are some great toothbrush options that cue you to switch over to the other side.
Flossing is a polarizing topic for many of our patients. They tend to either be dedicated to daily flossing or they do anything to avoid it. If you are a dedicated flosser, keep it up. Flossing is such an important way to protect against inflammation, tooth decay, and gum disease. To put it simply, the better you are at flossing, the more money you will save in dentist bills.
Tips to Become a Better Flosser:
An alternative to traditional flossing is water flossing. Water flossers are readily available at many grocery stores and online retailers. If you know yourself, and you know you won’t use traditional floss, a water flosser will help eradicate food and buildup from under your gums and around your teeth.
Mouthwash is a good idea for everyone but is a particularly good idea for you if you are not a dedicated flosser. Introducing mouthwash to your daily routine will help cleanse your mouth of bacteria that may have otherwise been cleared by flossing.
Tips for Coffee or Red Wine Fans:
Many patients want to avoid too much coffee and red wine because of their capacity to stain teeth. While many people want to keep their teeth white, a more harmful effect is actually the erosion that both beverages cause to enamel. Coffee and red wine are both acidic. Consistent exposure to both can wear away at the enamel. If you can’t curb your coffee consumption, then consider brushing your teeth regularly throughout the day as you drink it. If this means keeping an extra toothbrush at the office, so be it.
For Your Sweet Tooth:
Excluding those who have Type I Diabetes, additional sugar has very few benefits to the human body. If you have a sweet tooth, consider limiting your sugar consumption to a particular time of the day. Eating sugary foods and snacking throughout the day makes you more susceptible to tooth decay. Rinsing periodically after you have sweets can help protect your teeth. You can still enjoy sweets, but limiting them to meal times will protect you from an abundance of cavities.
Contact Us
Want to get your dental hygiene back on track for the new year? The team at Babylon Dental Care is here to provide you with the expert dental care that you deserve and will help you get your oral health goals aligned. Schedule an appointment with us today by calling (631) 983-6665 .
