6 Habits to Adopt for a Healthier Smile in 2024 and Beyond
If you’ve been putting off visiting your dentist for a while now, it’s time to consider a change. Follow these tips to better oral health in 2024, and you’ll find that it’s not too difficult at all to get your dental health back on track.
Planning is everything
Making a lifestyle change takes planning. While some people can just have an idea and commit to it fully straight away, most need to plan accordingly. For example, if you want to quit smoking, it usually works better with a plan in place, such as how to deal with cravings or how to manage nights out with friends where you would normally smoke.
It’s the same with taking care of your oral health. Some of these tips will be more specific, and you can use them to start planning for success. For example, a big part of dental health is watching what you eat and drink. So, you’ll need to plan what you intend to drink instead of coffee or alcohol. Sometimes these habits are incredibly hard to break, so you need to be in the right mindset.
Find an oral health partner
Have you ever noticed that people who make New Year’s resolutions always have more success when they share the goal with someone? Many people want to lose weight or get fit, so rather than just joining a gym, they find a friend or family member to join them in their quest. Not only does it make the workouts more fun, but it also helps with motivation and accountability.
So, if you’re keen to turn over a new oral health leaf in 2024,, why not find a partner? It could be someone you live with, or even just a friend you communicate with regularly. Some friendly reminders to brush twice a day are always good motivation, because the reality is, many of us simply forget.
Book your first check-up
If you haven’t been to the dentist in a while, you’ll need to get ready for your first check-up. You don’t need to be afraid of this, because your initial appointment will most likely involve an oral examination and perhaps some x-rays. From there, your dentist will have some more ideas on how to improve your oral health.
Dental cleaning is also a big part of it, so if you haven’t had a proper cleaning for a while, your first check-up is a great opportunity to have this done. If there are any concerns around dentin hypersensitivity (which makes dental cleaning a little painful), your dentist will give you some options, such as local anaesthetic.
Commit to brushing twice a day
One of the things your dentist is guaranteed to recommend is more frequent brushing and flossing. Ideally, you should be brushing your teeth morning and night. Before bed is a perfect time because you not only have a nice fresh mouth, but it’s a good opportunity to remove any food particles or bacteria that have built up throughout the day.
If you do have any significant dental issues, just brushing twice a day won’t cure them. However, it’s a great start to your better health journey. Establishing good dental hygiene habits every day is a way to ensure that dental problems don’t get worse, and it sets you up for better oral hygiene for the rest of your life.
Be more mindful of what you eat
Food and drink choices can make or break your quest for better oral health. By now, most people know what’s good and what’s bad. However, as a brief rundown, here are some foods and drinks to avoid:
- Alcohol
- Soft drinks
- Wine
- Coffee
- Sugary food and drinks
- Candy/sweetsBread
- Starchy foods (potato chips etc)
Of course, you don’t need to completely deprive yourself of the things you enjoy. But they should be consumed in moderation, and if you do indulge, it’s best to give your teeth an extra brush that day.
The issue with a lot of these foods and drinks is that the sugar and starch combine with acids and bacteria in your mouth to damage the teeth. Cavities are most often caused by diet above everything else, and this is basically the sugars, bacteria and acid in your mouth causing the tooth to decay.
Plan for dental procedures
Most people have a pretty good idea of whether their teeth are in good condition or not. If you’ve avoided the dentist for a long time, chances are you’ve also been dealing with some level of tooth pain or discomfort. So, there is a strong likelihood that you might need some type of dental procedure following your first check-up.
With any luck, this might just be a few fillings, which are relatively painless and hassle-free. However, you may need more expensive work done. Perhaps you might even consider cosmetic dentistry to either straighten, whiten or repair damaged teeth. Regardless, these procedures aren’t always cheap.
So, plan your finances accordingly. If you have private health insurance with a dental extras component, it may even be worth having your initial check-up as soon as possible.
Looking for the best Parramatta dentist?
Naturally, a dentist will play a big role in improving your oral health during 2024. It might start with a check-up, but you may find you need some other procedures too. If that’s the case, you want a Parramatta dentist you can trust, and here at Parramatta Dental Avenue, we’re ready to help. When you visit us, there’s no judgement. So, even if you’ve neglected your dental health for a while, we approach you with understanding and assistance. Our only goal is to see your oral health improve.
So, if you’d like to kick-start your 2024, dental health goals, contact Parramatta Dental Avenue today and find out how we can help.
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