Fayetteville DentistA healthy smile often means having beautiful teeth. Good health for your teeth also indicates a lesser need for complex and costly dental treatments than when your teeth are full of cavities and gum problems. Healthy teeth also promote good physical well-being because dental health is connected to physical health in some ways. Thus, it is important to maintain a healthy smile at all times. There’s just no excuse! The mouth is constantly exposed to food and bacteria, so the best thing to do is to practice good oral health care habits. Here are the 5 steps to a healthy smile:

• Brush and floss after every meal. This ensures that your mouth is clean and rid of cavity-causing bacteria that tend to stay on the teeth. Dentists suggest that brushing must take at least 2 minutes to complete. This means that the upper and the lower teeth must be brushed for 1 minute each. Brushing and flossing do not only prevent tooth decay but also bad breath, gum disease, and many other dental problems.

• Get twice-a-year deep cleanings. The teeth have grooves and ridges that may be hard to clean, even with daily brushing and flossing. Deep cleaning, or oral prophylaxis, will be able to address and remove plaque in areas that you’re not able to clean. With regular deep cleanings, plaque is prevented from hardening and turning into a substance known as tartar. Once tartar is formed, you have a high susceptibility to gum disease and many other dental concerns.

• Take advantage of dental sealants. Protective sealants serve to “seal” or envelope the teeth with a plastic coating to prevent the occurrence of decay. Sealants are performed on molars because these are the set of teeth with grooves that make the teeth difficult to clean. The result is molars with a much smoother surface than with the absence of sealants. Food particles do not get stuck in between the grooves; thus, making your molars easy to brush.

• Avail of Fluoride Treatment. Fluoride is a naturally-occurring substance that strengthens the teeth. While this may be found in food and water, people who drink a lot of bottled water may not receive the right dose of fluoride. People who are not eating a balanced diet may also have low levels of fluoride, essential for the teeth. With fluoride treatment, the teeth are strengthened and protected from damage.

• Use mouthguards during sports activities. This ensures that your teeth are protected from trauma during contact sports like boxing, wrestling, football, soccer, basketball, and many more. Mouthguards are custom-fitted mouth appliances that protect both the lips and teeth from damage and injuries during rough playing.

A Healthy Smile for a Healthy Body

Did you know that oral health affects your physical health in some ways? Mouth full of bacteria may be ingested in the body and cause problems for your heart, liver, and other organs. Optimum oral health is, therefore, the first step to achieving overall wellness. Simply follow the 5 steps listed above, and reap the wonderful benefits of having healthy teeth and gums.

Photo Credit: Identity Station