Your smile is one of your best features. A healthy smile transforms your appearance, increases self-confidence, creates a positive state of mind and can improve your overall health. Our dental clinic in North Vancouver is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to keep your teeth looking their best. Here are the best ways to achieve and maintain your oral health.
How to Keep Your Smile Healthy
There are a few things you can do to avoid dental problems and keep your teeth sparkling. They include:
Regular Visits to Your Dental Clinic
Visit your dental clinic at least twice per year whether you have natural teeth or dentures. These dental visits give your teeth the professional attention and care they need to stay healthy. Regular dentist appointments help detect the early stages of gum diseases and tooth decay. If your dentist finds any problems, regular checkups allow them to provide treatment quickly and advise you on necessary care.
Remember to let your dentist know of any sudden bad breath or changes in your sense of taste. Certain medications can cause issues like dry mouth or bad breath, but it’s important to rule out possible oral health problems.
Practicing Good Oral Hygiene
Proper oral hygiene involves keeping your mouth clean by brushing and flossing your teeth. It’s recommended to brush at least twice daily. Not brushing your teeth causes plaque and bacteria to build up, which can result in bad breath and increases your likelihood of developing cavities.
While brushing is important, be careful not to brush too hard, which can harm your gums and lead to gum recession. Don’t forget to brush your tongue, too – it helps eliminate odour-causing bacteria. Gently brush the back of your tongue to remove as much bacteria as possible. You can use a regular toothbrush or a tongue cleaner for more effective cleaning.
Fluoride toothpaste is best for brushing. It strengthens tooth enamel and reverses decay in its early stages.
Take care of the tools you use to brush your teeth. While your toothbrush doesn’t require special cleaning, make sure to remove any leftover toothpaste and food particles stuck in its bristles. Store it in a dry, safe place and replace it every three months or if the bristles lose shape or flare.
Along with brushing your teeth, you should also floss every day. For the food particles that normal brushing is unable to reach, flossing does the trick. Bacteria and food particles left to accumulate between the gums and teeth can cause gum disease. So, flossing preserves your smile and gets rid of embarrassing food stuck between your teeth.
Flossing can be tedious, but there are different tools to make flossing quicker and easier. Popular dental flossing tools include:
Regular floss
Traditional floss is a thread-like string that can be purchased waxed or unwaxed. It can also be mint flavoured. To use it, cut the length you wish to use and wrap it around your pointer fingers. Wiggle it gently between each tooth. Repeat this process until all of the spaces between your teeth have been flossed.
Floss picks
These are threads of floss attached to a handle that you can hold as you pass the floss between your teeth. Some people consider floss picks more convenient than regular floss.
Water picks
This specialized tool is also known as a dental water jet. It is an electric device that uses pressurized water to remove food particles, bacteria and plaque between teeth.
A Healthy Diet
Diet contributes a lot to your oral health and overall well-being. Thus, it’s essential to consume a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, fresh fruits and vegetables. These components keep your body healthy, prevent gum disease and help keep teeth strong.
Certain foods and beverages can damage your healthy smile. It’s best to speak with the professionals at your local dental clinic for detailed information about what foods are good and bad for your oral health. Sweets, candy, carbonated drinks, coffee and wine can cause tooth decay or stains, while hard foods can break or chip your teeth if you’re not careful.
Try to avoid eating lots of sugar, as sugar increases bacterial growth that causes cavities, and steer clear of smoking and chewing tobacco. In addition to being generally unhealthy, they can stain your teeth yellow. You can also consider limiting the acidic beverages you drink to prevent tooth decay and weakening.
Your North Vancouver Dental Clinic
If you would like more information on maintaining your oral health, contact Peak Dental Arts in North Vancouver. The experienced and professional North Vancouver Dentists at our modern, well-equipped dental clinic offer high-quality dental services to keep your teeth looking great.
Call 604-770-2222 or fill out our contact form to make an appointment.
