If you care about your health as 2024 Resolutions, the health of your mouth and teeth is also an integral factor. Not only does it affect our physical wellbeing, but healthy teeth and gums can have a significant impact on our overall quality of life. Poor oral hygiene can lead to a range of serious issues including gum disease, tooth decay and bad breath, all of which can be detrimental to one’s social life as well as physical health. These complications can become more severe if left untreated, leading to painful dental treatments and even serious medical conditions such as stroke, heart attack or diabetes.
As we enter into the new year of 2024, Irving dentist, Dr. Majid Sehat, wants to give you some resolutions to consider for your personal health and well-being.
1. Visit your family dentist for a professional teeth cleaning at least every 6 months. This will ensure that any tartar or plaque buildup is removed, and that any cavities are spotted early on. Additionally, having a professional cleaning twice per year can help to reduce the need for more extensive dental procedures in the future.
2. Brush your teeth twice daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Choose a brush with a small head so you can easily reach all areas of your mouth, and be sure to brush for two minutes each time so that you can remove as much bacteria as possible from your teeth and gums.
3. Floss your teeth at least once per day to remove food particles that get stuck between them. While brushing is important, it cannot effectively clean the spaces between our teeth where food particles tend to lodge themselves; manual flossing is required in order to thoroughly clean these areas and prevent the buildup of plaque in hard-to-reach places.
4. Consider using an electric toothbrush if you have difficulty brushing effectively or don't feel like you get a good enough clean with manual brushing alone. An electric toothbrush utilizes vibrations and pulsations to help break up plaque and loosen food particles from around your teeth, giving you a deeper clean than manual brushing alone would provide.
Electric toothbrushes have different features. Some have Bluetooth connectivity and other smart capabilities, allowing users to link them with a smartphone through an app. The app provides the user with real-time brushing habit feedback to improve dental practices. Moreover, choosing an electric toothbrush also depends on the user’s preference to encourage proper brushing at full two minutes (twice daily), as the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends. It’s also important to factor in the price of the electric toothbrush. Compare the different features and prices of electric toothbrush brands. Don’t hesitate to consult your dental care provider for expert recommendations.
5. Incorporate additional oral care practices like mouthwash, tongue scraping, and oil pulling into your regular routine along with brushing and flossing in order to keep your pearly whites shining bright into the new year! Mouthwash helps reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth while tongue scraping helps eliminate any leftover food debris stuck on the surface of the tongue; additionally, oil pulling is an ancient practice that has been used for centuries to treat many oral health issues including bad breath, gum disease, and tooth decay by swishing oil around in the mouth for several minutes each day before spitting it out.
Another crucial aspect of oral care is not using your teeth for non-food activities, such as opening plastic packaging, bottles, cans, or other objects. Doing so can damage the teeth, causing cracks, gum bleeding, or a knocked-out tooth. Use appropriate tools for them instead of using your teeth.
6.If you are missing one or more teeth, it is important to get a dental implant in order to replace the empty space. The process of obtaining a dental implant typically involves multiple appointments with a dental implant dentist. Throughout this entire process, follow-up visits are required in order to monitor healing and make sure everything is progressing as expected: usually x-rays and cleaning appointments in addition to check ups from time to time. Additionally, if implants are placed alongside other restorative treatments such as bridges or dentures, they may need more frequent visits to ensure proper fit and function.
Another case that necessitates the expertise of a dentist is shifted teeth. They can recommend a solution to straighten your teeth, such as Ashland Invisalign or those offered by other reputable dental clinics. Even if you didn’t experience wearing braces or missed getting a retainer as an adult, teeth misalignment correction is still possible with Invisalign. These clear plastic aligners can give you a beautiful smile because they’re virtually invisible, and you can remove them when attending special events.
To wrap up, there is no doubt that proper oral hygiene is essential for maintaining your overall health. Dr. Majid Sehat highly recommends these resolutions for the new year and encourages you to focus on keeping healthy habits in order to draw positive benefits from your dental care. Brushing twice a day, flossing regularly and seeing a dentist for check-ups and cleanings can easily reduce your chances of developing serious oral infections. Taking steps now to protect your teeth and gums can also extend your quality of life later down the line. Investing in good oral hygiene is investing in yourself – start today and feel healthier tomorrow!