Oral health habits

Wellbeing

Table of contents

• Routine Brushing and Flossing
• Nutritional habits
• Regular dental checkups
• Maintaining good habits
• Hydration and Oral Health
• Stress Management
• Protective Measures

Creating and maintaining lifelong oral health is a lifestyle choice – it requires someone who is serious about it to develop sound oral health habits and not just go through motions as a routine. By making small changes that are long-term and effective, individuals can develop a strong foundation for continued gum and tooth health.

Being proactive about an individual’s tooth and gum health benefits an individual’s self-esteem, confidence, and overall physical health. If you are interested in obtaining a personal dentist with local expertise who is focused on providing you with the best possible dental services, you should contact your local Fuquay Varina dentists, who offer both family and individual dental care.

A consistent oral hygiene routine and mindful choices contribute to continued dental health and overall health. Visiting the dentist regularly allows for the early detection of potential problems, which helps to minimize the chance of developing serious health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. It takes time and dedication to build a solid routine for maintaining oral care; however, this dedication is essential to achieving long-term results, which in turn will help improve overall quality of life.

Routine brushing and flossing

The first step to building proper lifelong dental health is establishing good oral hygiene. Dentists recommend brushing at least twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste to help eliminate food debris and plaque, the sticky substance that leads to the development of cavities and gum disease. A soft-bristled toothbrush protects your tooth enamel and ensures that you do not irritate your sensitive gums. The Mayo Clinic has indicated that the most successful oral hygiene routines include both brushing and flossing.

Flossing daily is an extremely important part of maintaining good oral hygiene and developing proper lifelong dental health. By cleaning hard-to-reach areas between the teeth that are too close together to be easily reached with a toothbrush, dental floss can help to avoid plaque accumulation in those areas. Additionally, using an antimicrobial mouth rinse may further decrease bacteria, provide fresh breath, and help decrease gum disease risk.

Nutritional habits

Good nutritional habits have a direct and lasting impact on teeth and gums. A diet that is well balanced with a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and dairy will help build and maintain healthy teeth and gums. Dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, are good sources of calcium and vitamin D, which will help to strengthen tooth enamel and bones. Crispy vegetables such as carrots and celery can act as natural teeth cleaners and stimulate saliva production to help protect teeth from decay.

In contrast, eating sugary or acidic foods (such as sodas, candies, and fruit juices) on a regular basis can promote the growth of bacteria that can dissolve enamel and produce cavities. Reducing the quantity and frequency of these foods can help to greatly improve your oral health. According to the CDC, cutting back on sugary snacks and beverages will help maintain your overall oral health throughout your life.

Regular dental checkups

One of the most important ways to protect your oral health is to have regular dental checkups every six months. One of the best things that you can do to prevent and treat many dental problems is to visit your dentist regularly for check-ups.

By seeing your dentist every six months, they will be able to provide you with a thorough cleaning (including removal of hard tartar buildup), as well as identify potential problems. This will help to prevent small areas of concern from becoming larger problems or becoming very costly to treat later on. For example, your dentist may find early signs of cavities, gum disease, or oral cancer during a routine check-up, when treatment is easy and less expensive than later stages.

Routine check-ups aren’t the only service available to children and adults that can prevent dental problems. Many dentist offer x-rays to look for cavities and fluoride treatments, as well as provide advice about proper brushing and flossing techniques. When patients build strong relationships with their dentist, it helps to identify small areas of concern before they develop into larger problems, improving long-term oral health and wellness.

Maintaining good habits

In addition to regular dentist visits, patients can maintain strong oral health by maintaining good habits on a daily basis. Some daily habits that can negatively affect your oral health include: using your teeth for purposes other than chewing food (i.e., to open packages, to munch on pens); chewing on hard, solid objects (ice is a common culprit); and more so repeated use of certain habits will create small microfractures in your teeth over time, resulting in cracking and ultimately loss of teeth.

The elimination of all forms of tobacco (smoking, vaping, chewing) will not only help to eliminate bad breath and stains from the teeth, but will also greatly lower your risk of developing both gum disease and oral cancer. By removing those habits, you create an environment favourable to the improvement of the tooth and gum health and your quality of life.

Hydration and oral health

Another factor to keep in mind when trying to maintain a healthy oral milieu is the role of water. Drinking plenty of water each day helps to rinse away food particles, dilute acids, and stimulate saliva production—all of which are vital to preventing tooth decay. Saliva acts as a natural cleanser by neutralizing food particles, bacteria, and other harmful substances, maintaining the health of your oral tissues and reducing incidentally harmful effects caused by the intake of other foods. Drinking water both before and after meals significantly reduces your chances of developing both cavities as well as dry mouth symptoms.

Stress management

Stress also has many ways to negatively act upon the oral health of a person- the result of stress-related behaviours such as bruxism (teeth grinding) and/or clenching the jaw or grinding of teeth over time creates excessive wear and fractures and/or possible development of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.

People can reduce their stress impact on their oral health by finding ways to relieve stress including but not limited to meditation and deep breathing exercises, participating in regular physical activity, etc. The chronically stressed person may require professional assistance to achieve long-lasting stress relief and take preventative action against the negative impact on dental health.

Protective measures

Custom-made mouth guards (available from your dentist) are the most effective way to protect against these forms of stress-related oral health problems. Custom mouthguards will fit better and are usually more comfortable than guards sold at health food stores or online.

In addition to providing protection during athletic activities, custom-made mouth guards will protect your teeth from the wear created by bruxism. Creating a preventative treatment strategy creates tremendous value in the long-term investment of your dental care, as well as instilling a sense of confidence and security.

In conclusion, the only way to promote long-term oral health is to take an all-inclusive approach to dental wellness. Long-term success in establishing an excellent foundation for oral health includes maintaining oral hygiene and taking necessary steps to stay healthy, eating a balanced diet, receiving regular dental care, and adopting a healthy lifestyle. The commitment you make to maintaining excellent oral health today can be one of the best investments in your overall health and happiness over the course of your life.