Optimal Oral Health for the Whole Family
When the school year starts, it’s always a busy time. While there might be a lot going on, the start of the new school year is the perfect time to freshen up your oral hygiene routine so that you can keep smiling your best smile throughout the year. Because we are all about smiles at our office in Middletown, Ohio, we have you covered with some great tips so the whole family can maintain fantastic oral health.
Start with water.
We all know that water is healthy for us, but it plays just as important a role in our oral health and hygiene as it does in the rest of our bodies. Not only is water a better alternative to many of the sugary or acidic drinks that we tend to consume on a daily basis, but there are also other benefits to consuming enough water.
For starters, water helps to keep our mouths clean and rinsed of food particles and debris in between brushing and flossing. This little bit of extra help can make a difference in whether we develop cavities or wind up with weak enamel. Second, much of the water we drink from our home faucet has fluoride added to it. Fluoride is an important mineral in many ways because it helps to both strengthen enamel and prevent acid erosion that the other things we eat and drink can cause.
Just as fluoridated toothpaste makes our teeth stronger, drinking plenty of water with just the right amount of fluoride has many of the same benefits.
Improve your diet.
We’ve covered the importance of water, but there are other parts of your day-to-day food and beverage intake that can help improve your oral hygiene as well.
Vegetables and Fruits
We all know that a colorful diet with lots of fruits and vegetables is good for us, but you may not realize the impact that these foods can have on our teeth. Most of these types of foods have plenty of nutrients that our bodies can benefit from, including our teeth. Protein, fiber, and calcium are all important parts of oral health.
Fiber helps to counterbalance the amount of sugar we take in, protein is used to build new cells and tissues, including muscles, and calcium is useful in making our bones strong. All of these things are good for our teeth. That’s not to mention that most fruits and vegetables are full of water, which as we said is good for our teeth, and the sugars in them are also natural sugars and not processed ones, so that makes them a bit less harmful on our teeth as well.
Fish and Poultry
It’s good to have meat in your diet, but you should always be mindful of what kinds of meats you eat. Lean meats like fish and poultry contain key minerals like phosphorus that are important for healthy teeth, and these lean proteins are always good for our bodies as well.
Fish and other similar protein sources are always a good way to go because they are known to be high in health-boosting nutrients.
Dairy Products
Who doesn’t love a nice glass of milk or some yogurt? What you may not know about your favorite dairy products is that they are a great addition to your diet when it comes to your oral health. We all know acids and sugars are enemies of strong teeth and healthy gums, but as it turns out, milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products are all low in sugar and, for the most part, not very acidic. This means you won’t be damaging your teeth when you eat or drink them.
An added benefit to choosing dairy as part of your diet is that many of these foods contain calcium, which is, as we know, good for strong bones and teeth.
Brushing and Flossing
We’ve all been told the importance of brushing and flossing, but there’s more to it than just brushing twice a day and flossing at least once each day. Nowadays it’s important to pick the right toothbrush, toothpaste, and flossing device to make it easy to keep your teeth and gums clean, debris free, and healthy.
Start with a toothpaste that includes fluoride. Much like with water, this will help strengthen your tooth enamel and prevent damage.
Next, you’ll want to consider the type of toothbrush to use. Many dentists recommend an electric toothbrush to help easily scrub your teeth and remove food particles, plaque, and debris, but if you’re more of a fan of manual toothbrushes, make sure you choose one with soft bristles as recommended by the American Dental Association.
Last, there are many more options for flossing than there used to be. While traditional string floss is still great, there are now disposable flossers that are easy to use and good at getting in between teeth. There is also the option of a water flosser to help clean debris from around the teeth and along the gums. Add to that an antibacterial mouthwash, and you have everything you need to start your new oral health routine.
Don’t forget to schedule your routine dental checkups.
These are just a few tips you can use this school year to help improve and maintain your family’s oral health. And if you are due for one of your twice-yearly preventive cleanings and evaluations, contact us today to set up your appointment. We’d be happy to help you and your family start the school year right with bright, healthy smiles.