Best Practices For Healthy Teeth

Best Practices For Healthy Teeth – 5 Steps To Protect Your Smile 

If you keep your smile healthy, you can avoid costly dental work, enjoy brighter teeth, and get peace of mind, knowing your teeth and gums are in great shape. Not sure how to protect your smile and keep your teeth healthy? Read on, and the team at Nashoba Valley Dental will discuss 5 simple steps that will help you protect your smile. 

1. Brush At Least Twice A Day

Brushing once in the morning when you wake up and once at night after your final meal of the day is the best way to keep your smile healthy. Brushing after your final meal removes food particles and bacteria so they don’t sit on your teeth while you sleep, and brushing in the morning eliminates bacteria that build up overnight.

So brush at least twice a day for two minutes, thoroughly cleaning the tops, backs, and fronts of your teeth. Consider upping this to brushing 3 times a day for even better results. 

2. Floss Once A Day

Flossing removes bacteria, plaque, food, and other debris that can’t be reached with brushing alone, so make sure you floss once each day. Along with regular brushing and flossing, this dramatically reduces your risk of gum disease. 

3. Fluoride Is Your Friend

Despite some rumors you may have heard, fluoride is extremely helpful for your teeth, and it’s 100% safe. Fluoride attracts minerals to your enamel, which strengthens it and helps prevent tooth decay.

You should use a fluoride-based, ADA-approved toothpaste whenever you brush your teeth. And, when you can, drink tap water instead of bottled water. In most areas, tap water has a small amount of fluoride added to it, which helps keep your teeth strong and healthy. 

4. Keep Your Lifestyle Healthy 

We recommend maintaining a healthy diet by reducing the amount of processed foods you eat, particularly salty and sugary snacks like cookies and chips. You should also eliminate or reduce your intake of sugary beverages and alcohol, both of which contribute to tooth decay and gum disease.

You should also cease smoking and tobacco use of all types.  Any kind of tobacco product dramatically raises your risk of cavities and gum disease, as well as oral cancer. Talk to your doctor about how to quit, and take the first step to protect your oral health and your overall health. 

5. See Dr. Annese For An Oral Exam & Teeth Cleaning Every Six Months 

Great at-home oral hygiene and healthy lifestyle habits are really important for your oral health, but so are routine checkups from a dentist like Dr. Matthew Annese at Nashoba Valley Dental.

Routine teeth cleanings remove plaque and tartar, keeping your teeth healthy and bright, and with oral exams and x-rays, Dr. Annese can look for hidden oral health issues, worn-out dental work, and other dental problems that may require attention.

Along with at-home oral hygiene and a healthy lifestyle, routine six-month checkups are one of the best ways to keep your smile healthy. 

Contact Nashoba Valley Dental For Your Next Checkup In Shirley!

Dr. Annese is proud to serve customers in Shirley, as well as Groton, Lunenburg, Pepperhill, Leominster, and Harvard. Whether you’re new to the area, switching dentists, or just haven’t gotten a checkup in a while, we’re here for you. Contact us online or give us a call at (978) 425-9088 to schedule your next appointment today.