Although you may not realize it, there are a number of small, simple things that you can do every day in order to boost your oral health. Maintaining a healthy smile takes vigilance and diligence, but with just a few simple alternations to your daily routine you can really start to see a difference in your smile!
In this short article our O’Fallon dentists are going to explain some of the things that you can do in order to support your smile. And we’ll talk about why each habit has a positive impact on your smile.
1. Water, water, water
There are a number of ways that you can use water to boost your oral health every day. First of all, by simply drinking enough water and staying hydrated, you will empower your body to produce saliva. And saliva is very effective at neutralizing oral bacteria, and fortifying dental enamel. Additionally, you can rinse your mouth with water after you eat or drink. This will help to flush out dental debris that my otherwise sit in your mouth, thus feeding oral bacteria.
2. Pay attention to the things that you expose your teeth to
Acidic substances, like juices, will weaken your dental enamel. Picking at your teeth with metal or wooden toothpicks can degrade enamel and damage gum tissue (use gentle floss to clean between your teeth instead). Chomping on ice or hard candies will cause micro-chips and cracks in your teeth; these can intensify over time and lead to fracture. Just be mindful of the materials you are using on your teeth/asking your teeth to break down—in general, gentle is always better!
Maintaining strong oral health requires more than just cleaning your teeth regularly, you also have to be thoughtful about how you treat your smile throughout the day. Want to learn more? Our O’Fallon dentists are here to answer you questions.