In 2009, dental hygienists dubbed October as National Dental Hygiene Month, a time dedicated for patients to get a teeth cleaning in Coppell and tweak their at-home routines to optimize their health. It’s strategically placed in the same month as Halloween, right before the holidays roll around. This time of year, your intake of sugars and carbohydrates may increase with all the family gatherings and festivities you’ll be attending. This makes it important to stick to a thorough routine that reduces your risk of developing oral health problems. Read on to learn five oral hygiene practices to incorporate into your daily life to optimize your health from your children’s dentist in Coppell.
Upgrade to a Water Flosser
A survey of Americans found that over 37 percent of people floss their teeth less than once every day. The American Dental Association recommends flossing every day to keep your teeth and gums healthy. If you’re one of the people who frequently skips this part of your routine because it’s difficult, or you have a hard time maneuvering the floss, you might want to try a water flosser. A clinical study found that they are 29 percent more effective at removing plaque than regular dental floss and can reduce your risk of developing gingivitis.
Maintain a Nutritious Diet
People often don’t associate their diet with their oral health. However, the more processed foods high in sugars and carbohydrates that you eat, the higher your risk of developing gum disease and cavities. Try substituting healthy fibrous vegetables as midday snacks. These help naturally brush away lodged plaque and food debris from your mouth when you chew them!
Visit Your Dentist for a Checkup and Cleaning
Professional preventive dental care is a vital part of keeping up with your oral hygiene. Your dentist in Coppell is specially trained to spot the early signs of problems and treat them before they get worse. This can help you avoid tartar buildup and needing costly and invasive dental treatments like root canals and periodontal therapy. They also have advanced tools that can spot problems that are invisible to the naked eye, like impacted wisdom teeth and tooth infections.
Rinse With Antibacterial Mouthwash
Antibacterial mouthwash is an underutilized hygiene tool that can keep oral bacteria from wreaking havoc on your mouth. Rinsing daily can make your breath minty fresh and prevent cavities and gum disease from developing. If the rinse with alcohol is too strong for you, try one without it—it’ll be much gentler on your oral tissues and still help protect your teeth and gums.
Avoid Sticky Sweets
Sweets are an essential part of all holidays, from Halloween candy to pumpkin pie and fancy chocolates, there’s no arguing that it’s all delicious. If you have a sweet tooth, you don’t have to completely eliminate treats for the next few months. Instead, try avoiding sticky ones that attach themselves to your teeth and don’t naturally dissolve when you drink water or produce saliva. These are hard to remove and can increase your risk of developing cavities.
When you follow these five oral hygiene practices for the holidays, you’ll be making all the dental hygienists that dubbed October as National Dental Hygiene Month proud. You’ll also be keeping your pearly whites happy and healthy, so you can enjoy them for decades to come!
About the Practice
At Sandy Lake Dental & Orthodontics, we have five experienced dentists on our team. Each of our professionals enjoys treating patients of all ages and giving them the tools and knowledge they need to optimize their oral health. Each dentist also offers a different specialty, allowing us to provide high-quality preventive dental care, including orthodontic services, implants, and even wisdom tooth extractions. For questions or to schedule a routine checkup and cleaning for your family, visit our website or call 972-393-7348.