Personally, I love new beginnings. And there’s a calm feeling that resonates with setting new goals at the New Year. A fresh start at a perfect time when the holiday rush is over.
We realize that setting New Year’s resolutions is a very personal journey. As your Naperville dental home, we care not only for your teeth but also for YOU. We have listed a few of our favorite dental health tips for you to consider for improving your overall dental health. Maybe some of these tips may find their way on your New Year’s resolution list:
- Increase your flossing intervals. I won’t say daily here, because if you never floss and now consider flossing every Sunday, that’s an improvement. Or if you floss once a week, consider every other night. Studies have shown that flossing can add years to your life!
- Brush with a timer or use an electric toothbrush that has a timer. It’s more beneficial for you to brush once or twice a day properly, than 4 times incorrectly. And yes, it takes time to correctly brush. One of my new patients said she brushes with a manual brush in the morning, but uses the electric toothbrush with the timer in the evening. A great option!
- If you play a team sport, always consider using a mouth guard to prevent tooth trauma. Even sports that are not exactly of a contact variety can cause major tooth trauma.
- Limit drinks with hidden sugars, like juices and sport drinks. There is an abundance of sugar in many drinks easily available to you and your kids. From coffee specialty drinks to sports drinks, sugar content is easily forgotten and can cause damage to your teeth and waistline!
- Do not use your teeth to open things. Okay, let’s burn a few extra calories by reaching for scissors or other opening utensils other than your teeth!
- Do not smoke. Discoloration and increased gum disease is just the tip of the iceberg here. There is nothing lovely about smelling smoke on one’s breath or clothes. Not to mention, smoking sets a bad example a to kids around you.
- Choose health food snacks like crunchy vegetables or cheese (in limited amounts) instead of chips, refined food products or foods high in sugar. This can help reduce cavities and your waistline!
- Increase water intake. Low water intake is often one of the major causes of bad breath. Water also dilutes harmful acids present in your mouth, which help speed up cavity forming and gum disease processes.
- Smile more! It’s contagious! Your smile is unique to you; share it with family, friends, and everyone around you. A great way to help relive stress!
- See your dentist regularly! Don’t wait for dental problems before coming in. Waiting to fix dental issues almost always adds to more ‘dental dollars’ and more time in our office.
Wishing you a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year! And good luck with your New Year’s resolution list!
Dr. Lydia Sosenko for Sherman Oaks Dental of Naperville
Sherman Oaks Dental, located in Naperville, Illinois has been providing family dental care for patients from Naperville, Wheaton, Aurora, Lisle and Chicago surrounding areas for over two decades.