5 HEALTHY DENTAL TIPS TO FOLLOW

Nearly half of the U.S adult population has beginning to moderate gum disease. That breaks down to every other person with an oral health crisis that is looming. In stark numbers, 65 million U.S Adults are facing the consequences of poor oral hygiene. These stats are from the American Academy of Periodontology. That’s why we’re sharing these five healthy dental tips that help you improve your oral health.

1. DENTAL MAINTENANCE

We know, as adults that we are supposed to brush after every meal and floss three times a day. Yet the statistics presented by the American Academy of Periodontology suggests that half of us are not doing adequate daily maintenance. For improved oral health, it’s important that we as individuals address our own dental habits. To that end try:

• Keeping a toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash at work
• Chew sugar-free gum with Xylitol in it
• Drink more water. It helps your body reduce the harmful levels of bad bacteria in your mouth
• Reward yourself for brushing and flossing three times a day

2. EAT SMART

By replacing sugary foods and drinks with healthier choices, such as fruits, vegetables, and more water you give your body the tools to build healthier systems. A good example would be leafy greens. Leafy greens contain a ton of vitamins and minerals. These are the building blocks that help your body build healthy gums, healthy bones, and even to help improve the enamel on your teeth. Think crunchy foods too. Apples, carrots, and almonds are all examples of crunchy foods that help your body to fight cavity-causing bacteria. When it comes to good oral health. Look at ways to improve your diet.

3. REGULAR CHECKUPS

Regular checkups help you stay on track. Making sure that you have regular teeth cleaning and a yearly dental exam helps you help yourself. It does so by reducing the negative impact of oral disease before it starts. Dental health has come a long way. Instead of the sharp metal tools that they used to use to clean your teeth, You can opt for an ultrasound cleaning. Ultrasound vibrates plaque and hard deposits off of your teeth without all the scraping. What is important is the preventative aspect of regular checkups. You win by defeating major dental work, such as root canals, while issues are still small. Plan on:

• Six-month checkups
• Preventative care as needed

4. MONITOR SOCIAL HABITS

The CDC lists smoking of cigarettes as a major cause of gum disease. Gum disease is not just in infection of the gum tissues. It goes deeper than that and all the way to the bone. It is known that smoking weakens the human immune system. It is also known that the human mouth is one of the dirtiest places on the body. We need a healthy immune system to fight off oral infections and gum disease. When it comes to social habits, consider the following:

• Stop smoking and vaping
• Reduce coffee and soda intake as both are known to stain teeth

5. GAIN HEALTH

In number three we touched on the destructiveness of sugary foods. Gaining health is all about diet and exercise, both of which help improve oral health. Exercise helps increase cardiovascular health which moves more blood through the gums. That means an increased number of white blood cells and better oxygen to cells throughout your oral cavity. In terms of diet, we are what we eat. Healthy food builds a healthy set of teeth, gums, and keeps our bones healthy too. When it comes to gaining health, consider:

• Take your lunch to work so you have more control over food choices and quality.
• Form a lunchtime walking group so you get more exercise
• Consider reducing fat, salt, and sugar intake
• Committing to eating lower on the food pyramid by increasing whole grains, decreasing refined foods, and consuming more vegetables.

Our overall health is a picture of our lifestyle and that includes our oral health. If you want to find ways to improve your dental health, look at your entire life, habits, and vices. These healthy dental tips help you do just that. They empower you to make changes that positively improve your overall health, and your oral health too.