How to start the New Year with a Healthy Smile
Summerlin, Las Vegas, and Henderson Nevada
This time of year there are holiday parties galore! Starting with Halloween, then Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve, there isn’t a shortage of sweets, that’s for sure. Your family dentist in Summerlin Dr. Matthew Wilson would like to share some tips with you on how you can start the New Year off right with a healthy smile. It’s never too late to adopt these healthy habits, so start now!
Choose snacks wisely
It’s not uncommon to have holiday parties at the office where treats linger throughout the day. But, resist the temptation to keep returning to the break room for “just a nibble.” While snacking isn’t always that bad for your teeth, it’s what you eat that matters. Snacking on sweets or carbohydrates like crackers and broad-based dishes fuel the bacteria in your mouth, which convert the sugars into acids that erode dental enamel. Snacking on these type of foods or consuming sugary beverages throughout the day mean that your teeth are constantly being bathed in sugar. Limit these types of treats to once a day and be done.
Healthier snacks that also are good for your teeth are crunchy, raw veggies such as carrots or celery sticks, and apple slices. Mixed nuts also are good, although you will want to skip the dried fruit and candy pieces that sometimes are in these mixes. Cheese also is good for your teeth as it offers healthy bacteria to combat the bad bacteria in your mouth, and is loaded with calcium, a necessary nutrient for healthy teeth and bones.
Healthy habits at home
Regardless of what time of year it is, be sure that you follow through with the American Dental Association’s recommendation of brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily. While many people adhere to the brushing their teeth part, it’s the flossing that is often left out of the mix. Be sure especially to brush before bed to remove all that caked on sugar and residual food debris from the day. Just go ahead and take the extra couple of minutes to floss, also. Flossing is essentially like brushing between your teeth. If you skip this vital step in your oral care routine, you miss cleaning 35% of your teeth’s surfaces. You wouldn’t shower and only wash two-thirds of your body, would you, so why would cleaning your teeth be any different?
See your Summerlin dentist
If you’re paying for dental insurance, then use it! Most plans cover preventive care such as cleanings and checkups twice a year. Going to the dentist regularly allows us to remove tartar buildup that only can be removed by a professional dental cleaning. Even if you brush and floss at home as advised, you still will accumulate this buildup that can cause cavities and gum disease. Plus, we can keep a close eye out for any changes in your oral health that may result in needing treatment. Better to treat problems early than to wait until they become bigger, more expensive problems.
Keeping your mouth healthy really starts with these basics –a healthy diet, good oral care at home, and regular dental visits to your dentist in the Las Vegas area at Inspire Dental of Summerlin. If you want to make sure you start off the New Year with a healthy smile, follow these tips!
Inspire Dental of Summerlin wishes you and yours a safe and Happy New Year! If you would like to learn more about the services we offer or to schedule a consultation, please contact our office by calling (702) 331-4700.
We welcome patients of Henderson, Las Vegas, and Summerlin.