Each year, we make promises to ourselves. The most common New Year’s resolutions include losing weight, exercising more, and eating healthier. This year, why not focus on a different aspect of your health? This New Year, we encourage you to think about making dental health your resolution. Here are six possible goals involving your dental health.
- Brush and floss your teeth twice a day, morning and night. Preventative dental care is essential for a healthy smile. Brushing and flossing your teeth daily minimizes cavities and other problems. If you don’t already brush twice a day, make this your New Year’s resolution.
- Brush for a full 2 minutes at a time. If you already brush and floss your teeth regularly, make your goal to brush your teeth for a full two minutes. Set a timer on your phone, or better yet, download a tooth-brushing app that will give you rewards the more often you brush.
- Don’t use your teeth to open packages and hold things. We are all guilty of using our teeth as tools from time to time, but this puts unnecessary wear and tear on your teeth, and can even lead to chips and breaks! Teeth are strong, but not indestructible. Make your resolution to use the proper tools instead of your teeth.
- Cut back on sugar and eat more tooth-healthy foods. Foods high in sugar feed cavity causing bacteria. Cut back on sugar this New Year and switch to tooth-healthy snacks such as carrots, nuts, oranges, and cucumber. Aside from being good for your teeth, cutting back on sugar might help you in some of your other health-related resolutions.
- Quit using tobacco products. Smoking or chewing tobacco is harmful for your entire body, and it takes quite a toll on your oral health as well. This year, cut tobacco out of your routine.
- Visit the dentist within the first few weeks of the year. If you haven’t visited your Naperville dentist in a while, now is the time to go! Regular cleanings and checkups are much easier than restorative dental work. Contact us today to set up an appointment at Sherman Oaks Dental.