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5 best dental habits to develop during 2024
30th December 2023 | Posted by: Vanessa GiraudSpaDental wishes you a happy and healthy 2024!
Resolutions can be hard to stick to. Gyms are busy on the second, third and fourth of January, but by February numbers have fallen off again. These days, keeping dentally fit is a life-style change we need to make, and we can do it easily, by keeping up good routines through the year.
So here are our top 5 best dental habits. As most of us are already practicing at least some of them, obtaining our optimum oral health is a realistic target to set.
Top 5 best dental habits
#1 – Brush
Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But many of us don’t brush for the full two minutes, so it’s a good idea to use a timer.
Moreover, it helps to have a strategy too, so that no area is missed. Mentally divide your mouth into quadrants, and work around the outside and inside surfaces, angling the brush to reach into the gum line.
Some of us also brush too soon after we’ve eaten. It’s best to wait about half an hour for our tooth enamel to strengthen again. And, when the two minute brushing time is up, spit, don’t rinse. That’s to keep the protective fluoride that’s in the toothpaste on our teeth for longer.
#2 – Floss
How often do you floss? Your dentist or hygienist will ask. They can tell, really tell, if you’re not coming clean about the flossing! So the best thing is to just do it, once a day. It’s a good idea to keep an interdental brush handy too, to get into the pesky gaps that harbour food debris that can lead to gum disease.
#3 – Visit the dentist regularly
If you already have an upcoming appointment for 2024, check you added it to your calendar.
If you haven’t booked an appointment yet, use our online contact form to request one. Especially if you haven’t been to the dentist in the last six months.
Regular dental checks can help identify concerns, before they develop into problems. They help avoid pain, as well as keeping down the cost of treatment. Many patients take out a dental plan, to help spread the cost of regular private care.
#4 – Seek professional help to solve problems
Whether it’s sensitive teeth, feeling self-conscious about yellowing teeth, an uncomfortable gap or bleeding gums, don’t leave your oral health to chance. Relying on over-the counter products or on-line help won’t have such good results as you’ll get with support from your dental team. In fact, you may even cause more damage. Once again, we urge you to make an appointment to see a dentist.
#5 – Work on improving general health
This is the big one! Working on improving your general health includes: giving up smoking, reducing alcohol, eating less sugar and fat, as well as exercising more. That’s quite a lot to think about!
Yet life-style changes really do make a difference to our oral health as well as our general health. Not only will you feel great, you’ll look good too!
Glowing skin, toned muscles and a great smile are a winning formula. But they don’t happen overnight. It takes focus, determination and effort. Try to get going now. Then, before February even starts, you’ll see the difference and feel it’s worth the effort.
Having a healthy and fit body, is good for our mind and good for our teeth too. Give it a try, as there’s only One You!
- Running is good for our teeth!
- There are at least 3 oral health benefits from walking your dog!
- Information to help quit smoking
Very best wishes to you all from the SpaDental team.
We sincerely hope that you’ll have plenty to smile about during the months to come!
(Practice these best dental habits and your teeth and gums will be happy too!)