You love that clean, fresh mouth feeling you have after a good dental cleaning. But all too soon, that feeling fades as you slip back into your normal routine. Before long, it seems as though your teeth hadn’t been cleaned at all.
While scheduling a professional cleaning every month is impractical, it can be possible for you to stretch out that freshness between your six-month appointments. Here are some tips to keep that smile bold and beautiful.
Brush, Floss, and Mouthwash from the Start
Habits form more easily when we begin them from what feels like a fresh start (that’s why new year’s resolutions are so popular). You can use your cleaning as a launching point for developing better dental habits.
Before your cleaning, get a new toothbrush (unless you’ve recently acquired a new one), dental floss, and a fluoridated mouthwash. At your cleaning, discuss good brushing and cleaning practices with the dentist and/or hygienist, including the best way to floss and use mouthwash. Once your cleaning is over, begin applying these new techniques.
Adding to your at-home hygiene routine will enhance your oral health, and by having everything ready to go ahead of time, you increase the chances that you’ll be able to maintain these healthy habits.
Limit Sugars, Acids, and Staining Foods
Sugary and acidic foods increase the growth of bacteria, which creates more plaque and eats away at the tooth enamel to cause decay. Limit your exposure to these foods, and when you do consume them, brush your teeth whenever possible. If you can’t brush them, rinse your mouth with water to help.
Dark foods and drinks seep into your tooth enamel to leave behind stains, creating a yellower appearance. To keep your teeth clean, fresh, and beautiful, avoid consuming things known to stain your teeth. This includes coffee, soda, red wine, dark berries, spaghetti sauce, and curry.
Chew a Sugarless Gum
Who’d ever have thought that dentists would encourage gum chewing? But before you grab your favorite gum brand from the checkout aisle, check the back label – only certain kinds of gum will do.
First, it must be sugarless. Indulging in a sugary gum will provide a continuous coating of sugar, which is even worse for your teeth than an occasional piece of chocolate. Secondly, look for a gum that contains xylitol. This alternative sweetener means you can still enjoy a sweet taste without the sugar, and moreover, xylitol has been found to boost dental health.
Keep Your Regular Cleaning Schedule
These tips can help you maintain your smile between cleanings, but they aren’t a substitute for them. Regular visits allow for a deeper dental cleaning than average brushing, and allows the dentist to examine your teeth for cavities and other problems.
Ireland Park Dentistry can help you keep your teeth in top shape. Call and schedule your next dental cleaning with us today!