Prioritize Your Smile With These Suggestions From Our O’Fallon Dentists

Written by Dr. Brace on May 5, 2015

We can all hope and wish for a healthier smile, but the way to actually achieve this goal is to implement a high quality dental hygiene routine. The truth is, you’ll notice positive changes to your smile when you start to make your oral health a priority.

Our O’Fallon dentists are here to help you do just that. We work with our patients to help them establish customized oral hygiene plans that really work. Here are some tips from our dental team that you can start to implement in your daily life right away.

1. Drink up

Water that is! Water is one of your smile’s best friends. When you drink water, you help to ensure that your body can produce enough saliva to meet your needs. And saliva not only rinses away dental debris, it also neutralizes oral bacteria and helps enamel to remineralize. Plus, every time that you choose to drink water, you are choosing not to drink a harmful soft drink, sugary beverage, or juice.

2. Watch those sneaky daily habits

So many of us have picked up some harmful oral hygiene habits without even realizing it. For example, chewing ice, chomping on hard candies, chewing the insides of our cheeks or our lips, and using metal and wooden toothpicks are all unhealthy habits. Be mindful of the little things you do throughout the day, and work to eliminate the destructive ones!

3. Track any dental health changes

This is a super easy one. If you notice that something about the way that your mouth looks or feels has changed, write it down. When you see our dentist for your semi-annual check-up, it is extremely helpful if you can provide us with this information! This is one way in which you can really take control of your own treatment.

Ready for more tips and tricks to enhance oral health? Our O’Fallon dentists are here to help you every step of the way.