Planning Your Oral Health Resolutions

With the holiday season quickly approaching, it’s a great time to be proactive about your oral health resolutions for the new year. With a plan in place, you’re much more likely to be successful in improving your oral health before this time next year.  These resolutions are so easy to put into place that there’s really no reason to wait: after all, you can only benefit from making your oral health a priority now rather than later.

Resolution #1: Make Brushing More Fun With a New Toothbrush

You know how the little things can sometimes give you a mood lift? A new toothbrush is one of those things. It always feels nice to use a fresh brand-new toothbrush instead of a worn-out one. You can also up the fun factor by choosing a toothbrush with colors that you enjoy. Sure, it’s a small thing, but seeing your favorite colors can give you a small boost to help you make oral health a priority. Make a firm resolution to replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months, as recommended by the American Dental Association.

Resolution #2: Make Small Changes in Your Diet

Forcing yourself into a major diet change, all at one time, makes it nearly impossible to enjoy success long-term. However, if you make a resolution to make simple small changes instead, you can greatly improve your oral health. Sugar is extremely detrimental to both your waistline and your oral health, and breaking that sugar habit can translate into less tooth decay and gum disease for you. It doesn’t have to be difficult, either.

 

Make small changes in your diet, such as replacing processed sugar-laden snacks with fruit. Another helpful sugar swap is replacing sodas or juices with water. If plain water is too boring for you, consider occasionally adding powdered sugar-free drink mixes to get your water intake with a little kick of taste. By making small changes, your adjustment away from sugar is much easier. You’ll soon feel better along with having improved oral health. You may even drop a few pounds when you cut the extra sugar (and calories!) out of your diet.

Resolution #3: Make a Commitment to Flossing – the Simple Way

Because flossing can be time-consuming, many people tend to floss less often or less thoroughly than they should. Unfortunately, this can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. When you don’t floss, you can leave food particles and harmful bacteria stuck in the little nooks and crannies that only floss can really reach. You can commit to flossing without losing a lot of time if you use disposable flossers.

 

One of the benefits of disposable flossers is that they’re easy to use — no wrapping the floss around your fingers or fighting to get the right angle to floss. Disposable flossers also have a pick at one end to make it even easier. Keep a pack of disposable flossers at work, in your purse, or wherever you’ve got easy access to them to easily implement thorough daily flossing into your daily routine.

Resolution #4: Start the Year Out Right With a Teeth Cleaning

Has it been a while since your last teeth cleaning? If you can’t quite remember when you last had that fabulous freshly-cleaned feel, call Hancock Village Dental to schedule your teeth cleaning to start the year out right. Usually, a teeth cleaning appointment takes no more than an hour, and you can add on extra protection like a fluoride treatment to help you keep tooth decay at bay if you’d like. Starting out the new year with a freshly-cleaned and beautiful smile can make you look and feel better, so this should be an easy resolution to keep.

 

The team at Hancock Village Dental is here to help the whole family with dental care needs of all types. Regular check-ups, teeth cleanings, root planing, fillings, sealants, teeth whitening, teeth straightening, and much more are all available at Hancock Village Dental. Reach out now through the online contact form, or call the office to get started on your oral health resolutions today.