Brush and floss daily
A good oral hygiene routine is an easy and effective way to keep your teeth clean and healthy. By brushing and flossing away plaque, you can prevent tooth decay and gum disease affordably from the comfort of home.
Brush your teeth twice a day and always before bed using fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride helps to strengthen tooth enamel, making it more resistant to tooth decay.
Your toothbrush can’t reach between your teeth, so make sure you floss daily. There is a range of tools available to make the job easier, including interdental brushes, SuperFloss and water flossers. Your dentist or hygienist will be more than happy to recommend the best tools and techniques for you.
See your dentist for routine check-ups
Some of the early warning signs of tooth decay and gum disease can be hard to spot yourself, so it’s essential to see your dentist for regular check-ups.
During your examination, your dentist will check your teeth and gums for changes that could develop into something more serious. If you act early, most problems are much easier – and cheaper – to resolve.
It’s also important to visit your hygienist for a professional scale and polish from time to time. If you routinely miss any areas when you brush, plaque can accumulate and harden into calculus (tartar). You can’t brush calculus away, but your hygienist will have special tools to remove it gently without harming your enamel.
Enjoy teeth-friendly foods
Your diet can have a big impact on both the health and appearance of your smile. You should try to reduce your sugar intake and save sweet things for mealtimes. This limits the number of times your teeth are exposed to sugar and acids throughout the day.
To keep your smile bright, avoid food and drink that’s highly pigmented, for example, red wine, tea, coffee and tomato sauce. A thorough hygiene routine and regular visits to the hygienist can also help to keep surface stains at bay.
If you have fixed braces, you’ll need to be even more careful about your diet. Anything hard, sticky or chewy could damage your braces, while stains will become more visible when your braces are removed.
Protect your smile from damage
Unfortunately, accidents can happen, but there are some simple steps you can take to protect your teeth.
- Never use your teeth as tools; this includes using them to open bottles or bite tags off things
- Don’t crunch on very hard things like ice
- Always wear a mouthguard during contact sports
Choose non-invasive treatments
If you want to improve the appearance of your teeth, there are many different cosmetic treatments to choose from, from teeth whitening to lighten your smile to dental implants to replace missing teeth.
Some treatments are more invasive than others, so always consider your options carefully and visit the experts for a consultation.
Orthodontic treatment is a fantastic way to straighten your smile, and unlike veneers, braces won’t damage your teeth. We are simply realigning your teeth into the optimal position for a beautiful, healthy result.
Thanks to innovations like Invisalign, braces are now more convenient and more discreet than ever. To find out more, visit us in Clonmel or Newbridge for a no-obligation consultation with specialist orthodontist Dr. Jackie Bracken.
