4 Practical New Year’s Resolutions for Your Oral Health

The start of a new year is a symbolic time for many people encouraging them to start making positive changes in their lives. However, studies suggest that very few resolutions make it past March. This is often due to the nature of the resolutions themselves, as many are too lofty or too vague. If you’re looking for a way to realistically improve yourself this year with practical habits, why not start with your smile? Read on as your Huntington Beach dentist goes over four easy New Year’s resolutions for better oral health.

1.) Visit Your Dentist At Least Twice This Year

One of the easiest and most beneficial commitments you can make for your smile is to get two checkups and cleanings every year. These quick and easy appointments give your dentist a chance to spot and stop oral health issues as early as possible, while also providing you personalized preventive care. What’s more, dental insurance often covers two checkups and cleanings a year at 90-100%!

2.) Brush & Floss More Often

Most Americans only floss for 45-70 seconds a day, and two thirds don’t floss often enough. If you want to keep your oral health on track, start small by perfecting these simple but important healthy habits. Use a timer, song, or electric toothbrush to ensure that you’re brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day. Ask your dentist about flossing picks and other helpful flossing tools that will make flossing daily less of a chore.

3.) Cut Back on Acidic Beverages

Sugary drinks aren’t the only beverages that can harm your teeth. Choices like diet soda, wine, coffee, energy drinks, sports beverages, and even some fruit juices are incredibly acidic and can dramatically weaken your enamel in a very short amount of time. To minimize your risk of chipped teeth and cavities, do your best to limit your intake of these beverages. When you do choose to indulge, consider drinking through a straw, diluting the beverage, or drinking water right afterwards to reduce the impact these drinks have on your teeth.

4.) Break Bad Dental Habits

Breaking bad habits is just as beneficial as starting good habits. Many of us are damaging our teeth on a regular basis without even realizing it! If you chew on hard objects like pen caps or your fingernails when you’re thinking, or if you use your teeth to open packages or rip off price tags, you’re putting yourself at a significantly higher risk of a broken tooth! Keep your smile safe by chewing on sugarless gum instead and keeping the proper household tools somewhere easy to reach.

It’s time for a new year, a new you, and a new smile! Consider adopting some or all of these New Year’s resolutions for your oral health for a better smile in 2022.

About the Practice

At Huntington Beach Periodontics & Dental Implants, we’re here to help you get the beautiful, healthy smile you deserve. Dr. Braga is an expert in the field of periodontics and uses research-based methodology to ensure you get exactly the right care for your unique smile. Whether you need a simple checkup, fillings, teeth whitening, gum disease treatment, or tooth replacement, we have everything you need under one roof. To schedule your next appointment, feel free to reach us online or at (714) 587-9094.