People achieve a beautiful smile through a lifetime of good dental habits performed on a routine basis. While treatments like teeth whitening can brighten them after a lifetime of bad habits, nothing compares to preventing issues from occurring in the first place.
Here are six must-know tips to keep your smile looking its best
1. Brushing
Brushing twice a day ensures the largest areas of your smile are well cleaned and free of plaque. As plaque can harden to tartar after just 24 hours, it’s important to maintain a strict regimen that disrupts plaque build-up and improves the overall oral environment.
2. Flossing
Flossing or interproximal brushing removes the plaque in areas toothbrushes typically fail to reach. While flossing is the preferred method by many, interproximal brushing tools have proven just as effective at removing hard-to-reach plaque while being easier for some people to use and slightly less invasive to the deeper areas of the gums.
3. Mouthwash
Rinsing with mouthwash at least once a day ensures your smile is free from cavity-causing bacteria that brushing and flossing can’t quite get to. Make sure you rinse with non-alcoholic mouthwash, as those with alcohol can cause dry-mouth and lead to other oral issues.
4. Avoid Bad Habits
Avoid bad habits like treating teeth as tools or using tobacco products. Teeth used as tools leave the smile exposed chips or cracks and eventually leading to decay. Tobacco can wreak havoc on a smile by contributing to issues like decay, gingivitis, and other systemic issues that weaken teeth’s enamel.
5. Avoid Sugary Foods
Avoid eating foods with added refined sugars like candies and sodas since these greatly contribute to cavity production. Bacteria feed on sugars and release an acid that eats away at the enamel and leaves the inner tooth susceptible to infection.
6. Eat Fruit and Veggies
Eating your fruits and vegetables not only promotes a healthy body but a healthy smile too! Fibrous fruits and veggies like apples, broccoli, carrots, and celery have a tough substance that whisks away plaque while you eat. This gently removes plaque buildup in between brushing and flossing and keeps the breath fresh.
Learn More
Find out more information about keeping your smile looking and feeling its best by contacting our Bronxville, NY office and scheduling a consultation with Dr. John Bobinski. He’s an expert in preventing dental issues and maintaining the smile’s natural beauty.