The New Year is a time to take stock. Time to take a look at what we’re doing, what we want to do and be — and what we could stand to leave behind. One thing everybody wants is a brilliant, beautiful smile. This is the year to take your dental health seriously. You’ll be surprised how much just a few simple changes can accomplish when you learn how to improve your smile. Read on for tips on how to improve your oral hygiene and make a stunning smile your new year’s resolution.
Three Ways to Stop Harming Your Teeth
This year, breaking a few bad habits can improve your oral health and give you the smile you want:
Stop smoking
Among the many health advantages you’ll see, like easier breathing and less susceptibility to illness, stopping smoking is the most dramatic thing you can do to halt tooth discolouration and damage.
Avoid hard candies and other sugary treats
You lose small amounts of enamel when you don’t brush your teeth, thanks to bacteria that feed on the sugar in foods, causing cavities. If you do enjoy a hard candy from time to time, don’t forget to floss and brush afterwards.
Brush after sugar, coffee, tea, or wine
Remember that most sodas and alcoholic drinks contain a lot of sugar. After partaking, brush, floss, and rinse. Drinking through a straw can actually keep dark liquids from staining your teeth.
Three Things to Do Regularly to Improve Your Smile
Aside from the “don’ts” to improve your smile, here are three “dos” to keep your pearly whites clean and healthy:
Brush twice a day
Use dental whitening toothpastes with fluoride and a soft-bristled brush. Electric toothbrushes are proven to be more successful in giving you better teeth and gum health, but any soft-bristled brush is better than skipping your morning and evening brushings.
Floss
Floss your teeth every day to avoid gingivitis and gum disease by removing plaque from between your teeth and out from under your gums. Or try an oral irrigator — a device that sprays water or mouthwash between your teeth and up past your gumline.
See your dentist
Visit your dentist every six months to avoid periodontal disease, which is linked to everything from diabetes and sleep apnea to bleeding gums and mouth. Remember that many health conditions can show themselves in your mouth and teeth, so a visit twice a year isn’t just about oral health.
How to Improve Your Smile This Year
Like so many of the resolutions we make every New Year, tooth care is a matter of small regular acts that add up to big changes — whether that’s tooth whitening, repair, or surgery. If you’re looking for how to improve your smile, make a plan to care for your teeth every day, and stick to it. You’ll soon be smiling ear to ear.
To keep your teeth clean, white, and healthy, call the experts of Berwick Dental Clinic & Surgery at (03) 9707 3227 today. Our cosmetic dentist can improve your smile with professional teeth whitening, tooth-coloured fillings, and dental veneers.