New Year’s Resolutions: Maintaining Oral Care

Oral Care

Oral Care | Every New Year is an opportunity to start anew with any aspect of your life that you choose. If you’re someone who is health-conscious, you might want to devote at least one of your New Year’s resolutions to upping your oral care game.

Even if you have not yet experienced any major dental problems, it’s never a good idea to become complacent. Problems like gum disease and tooth decay can progress undetected, only to emerge when costly dental work becomes necessary.

Learn more about maintaining oral care and contact us today! 

How’s your oral care routine? 

To prevent cavities and tooth decay, you need to be brushing at least twice daily, preferably after every meal. And to remove food debris trapped from between the teeth, you’ll need to be sure to floss your teeth at least once a day. It’s also never a bad idea to brush your tongue, as bacteria can hang out there as well.

One thing that patients often overlook is the condition of their toothbrush. Have you really looked at it lately? Take a close look at your toothbrush, and get a new one if its bristles are frayed. Or if it’s older than three or four months, go ahead and send it into retirement and replace it with a new one.

Dental Anxiety

Have you been suffering in silence? Is dental anxiety affecting your oral care? Dental anxiety is an extremely common phenomenon among more people than you may think. We want you to receive all of your needed dental care in a comfortable and relaxed environment. If you commonly experience dental anxiety in a dental setting, don’t be shy. Let us know so that we can take steps to ensure your comfort.

Nitrous oxide, popularly known as “laughing gas,” is an odorless and colorless gas that is commonly used for patients who tend to be anxious about receiving dental treatments. You simply breathe in through a face mask, and the gas goes to work almost immediately to relax you.

Dental Exam 

People with busy lives tend to neglect routine appointments like the dental exam and cleaning visit. If you are among this group, now is the time to make a New Year’s resolution and get back on track with your oral care.

The dental exam and cleaning appointment is a type of preventative oral care that allows for the early detection of many common dental problems like tooth decay and periodontal disease. We will also be checking for signs of oral cancer, which is highly treatable when detected early, such as during a dental exam.

If you undergo a dental exam, you will also likely receive a professional dental cleaning immediately after. This involves scraping away of any plaque and tartar found on the teeth and under the gum line. 

The Bottom Line

New Year’s resolutions are a great way to discard old habits and form new ones, such as oral care. If you’ve been putting off your dental exam and cleaning appointments, contact our office today to schedule a consultation.