Did you make any new year’s resolutions for 2018? It’s always exciting to have the feeling of a clean slate and the renewed hope that you can establish some great habits (or break bad ones!) that you’ll retain for the rest of your life. Maybe you’re great at keeping your resolutions every year, or maybe you find yourself “falling off the wagon” in February or March. Don’t give up! This month, your family dentistry in Raleigh, NC has some suggestions for new year’s resolutions that can help you and your kids enjoy great oral health in 2018.
THE BASICS
Our first new year’s resolution is probably one that you could easily anticipate: Brush and floss every day! We’ve all heard this recommendation from our family dentistry in Raleigh, NC and in school from an early age, but there are still a surprising number of folks who don’t take it seriously. The hard truth is that the food and beverages that pass through our mouths every day contain bacteria, sugar, and other elements that break down the defenses of our gums and teeth if we allow them to remain there.
It’s easiest to keep these habits for life if you start them as children. That’s why your Family Dentistry in Raleigh, NC continually reminds you to help your kids establish brushing and flossing habits as early as possible. But even if you’re an adult who only brushes and flosses infrequently, you can change that in 2018! All it takes is a daily reminder on your smartphone to get you started with this critical good habit.
FOOD AND DRINK
Perhaps you are already pursuing one or two new year’s resolutions related to what you eat and drink, in an effort to lose weight or just be healthier. Remember that some beverages, including coffee, soda, and alcohol, can have a particularly negative effect on the beautiful white enamel of your teeth. That doesn’t mean you have to cut those little pleasures out of your diet completely, but you can avoid permanent staining of the teeth by keeping your intake limited and by—once again—removing residue from your teeth on a daily basis by brushing them.
Although ice is not technically food, this is a great time to remind you that if you have an ice-chewing habit, 2018 should be the year you try to break it! The sound of ice between teeth makes your family dentist cringe because he knows that it is destructive to their protective enamel. Try replacing those ice cubes with sugar-free gum or a healthy snack—something that will give your teeth something to do without threatening to damage your oral health.
GET TO KNOW YOUR FAMILY DENTIST IN RALEIGH, NC
There aren’t many new year’s resolutions that only require a couple of hours of time commitment from you! This one, however, is very important and will only take a morning or afternoon out of your entire year. Schedule a checkup with your family dentistry in Raleigh, NC and let him and his team assess your oral health condition. If everything’s in good shape, you will have completed one big item on your new year’s resolution list. If there are cavities developing, gum disease growing, or an infection deep within a tooth’s roots, you’ll have to come in for another visit, but you will be very happy that you caught the problem before it became painful and more disruptive to your routine! Dr. Eric Ladimer’s extensive history working in periodontal therapy, and particularly in performing root canals, makes him the ideal dentist to trust with your oral health.
We know that your entire family will love visiting New Hope Dental Care. It’s a genuine pleasure when we get to catch up with patients that we see for regular checkups, and we hope to make you and your family part of that group. Our goal is to give you a quick exam and get you out the door with a big, beautiful smile on your face, but if our expert dentist and assistants detect a potential problem, we’ll be there to walk you through the process of repairing it and restoring your teeth and gums to excellent health.