How To Take Care of Your Teeth And Maintain Good Dental Hygiene

When it comes to taking care of our bodies, our minds instantly think about how much we exercise and the nutritional value of the food we consume. More recently, we have begun to stress the importance of taking care of our mental health and making sure to take some time out to relax and recharge. However, we tend to forget about the health of our teeth, and this can lead to serious problems such as toothache, tooth loss, and requiring fillings from the dentist. So, how do you take care of your teeth and prevent needing treatment in the future.

Brush Your Teeth

This may sound obvious, but many people forget to brush their teeth twice a day due to busy lifestyles. It is paramount to brush twice daily as this removes any plaque on teeth before it can harden into tartar, which can make your teeth look less white and will have to be removed by your dental hygienist. Brushing does not just help prevent gum disease and other nasty problems, but also helps to keep your teeth looking pearly white, as brushing removes the pigments that would otherwise build up and make your teeth look yellow. If you want to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your brushing, it may be worth thinking about investing in an electric toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes are meant to be much better for your teeth than manual ones, as they are more effective at removing plaque and have built-in timers to ensure that you brush for the full two minutes that you are supposed to. These can be expensive to buy, but they will last for years and are therefore worth the investment if you are really dedicated to looking after your teeth.

Visit The Dentist 

It would help if you remembered to go to your local dentist for a check-up every six months. Going to the dentist regularly means that any problems with your teeth will be detected early on, and this will make them more manageable to treat. If you currently are not registered at a dentist, maybe you should look at David Robertson, DDS. Many people find going to the dentist a daunting prospect, but there really is nothing to fear. Your dentist will talk you through everything that they are going to do and put you at ease. Your dentist may also refer you to a dental hygienist. If they do, it is worth going to see the hygienist. A dental hygienist will remove any difficult plaque and tartar from your teeth. They may also perform a clean and polish to remove any stains on the surface of your teeth. These regular appointments at both the dentist and the hygienist will help make sure your teeth and gums are as healthy as they can be. 

Cut Down On Sugar In Your Diet

Whilst it is not something we think about a lot in relation to our teeth, an unhealthy diet can damage our teeth; sugar, in particular, is particularly bad for our teeth.This is why you should only eat small amounts of high sugars and fat, as a diet with less sugar in it can help reduce your chances of tooth decay. Sweets and sugary drinks are particularly bad for having high levels of sugar in them, but so are some fruit juices, so it is important always to know how much sugar is in your food and drink to manage the level of sugar in your diet appropriately. Smoothies can be particularly bad for having high sugar levels as when the fruit is blended, the natural sugars they contain are released, so it is recommended that you only have one smoothie a day and drink it with a meal. 

Quit Smoking

We all know that smoking has disastrous consequences for people. It can lead to lung cancer and increase your risk of having a stroke or experiencing brain damage. However, smoking also stains your teeth and increases your risk of gum disease. Therefore, it is imperative that if you do smoke, try to quit, or if you do not already smoke, not take up the habit as it will help keep your teeth healthy, but it will keep the rest of your body healthy too. 

Taking care of your teeth now will help you avoid unnecessary treatments and problems in the future, so it is really important that you implement these steps now to look after your teeth to keep them healthy and where they belong.

What Can A Dentist Do For You?

A dentist is probably something you’ve done a search for online. It’s likely that you want to find a good dentist who can provide you and your family with great service at a good price. Thankfully, you’re in the right place to get some answers. Read on for our guide on what to expect when it comes to dental practices.

The Different Types of Treatment Offered By Dentists 

When it comes to looking for private dentists, you want to be sure that you’re taking on a dental practice that offers a wide variety of services. Due to the specialisation often offered by private dental practices, and the wide variety of dentists, nurses, and therapists employed by private practices, it allows people to feel comfortable in knowing that they are paying for a renowned dentist who knows what they are doing. 

Also, many people want to find emergency dentists too. Private practice dentists will often be there for their patients in a time of crisis and strive to create relationships with people who regularly come through their doors. This versatility and reliability are what often attracts more and more people to turn to private dental practices. But, what kind of services can you expect from a private practice? Well, there are many services to help make your smile as bright as it can be. We’re going to detail some of these services and treatments in this article and tell you where you can find such services.

Restorative Treatments 

One subset of treatments offered by a private dentist will come under the title of ‘restorative’. This relates to improving your damaged teeth and your smile to restore it to a level that makes you feel more confident and at ease with yourself. One of these treatments relates to broken teeth. While teeth are strong, they can chip, break, and fracture from biting down on something, receiving a hit to the face, by falling, or through the weakening of your teeth via cavities. Treatment can involve smoothing out the areas surrounding the minor cracks and chips to make your smile-line more visibly appealing and less noticeable when eating and drinking. There are also the likes of ‘bridges’, which can be used to replace missing teeth, providing neighboring teeth are strong enough to hold a new laboratory-made tooth in place. Then there are dentures, commonly known as ‘false teeth.’ These are used to either partially or fully replace missing teeth, allowing people to eat, function, and speak in a more comfortable manner. They can also boost someone’s appearance and make them feel more confident. And, then there is ‘root canal’ treatment. This often involves a tooth that has been infected, leading to abscesses. This treatment can stop the spread of infection.

Receiving Orthodontic and Preventative Treatments

Orthodontics is a field of dentistry that is concerned with the diagnosis and improvement of jaw or teeth that are out-of-position. This can also include preventive measures before any malposition has taken place. If you’re looking for a dentist who concentrates on orthodontics, then it is likely that you are looking for braces or implants. Conventional braces generally cement or bond teeth to get them to hold together using thin metal wires that ever so gently push your teeth back into position. This is a process that will take approximately 18 months and will require a number of visits to a dentist. However, some people feel self-conscious about braces. Thankfully, there are practices that also offer invisible braces. Most people won’t even notice these braces, they won’t disrupt your lifestyle, and there are no wires to irritate your mouth. Moreover, there is always additional help to prevent tooth problems too. Such treatments can include checks for gum disease, mouth cancer, general dental hygiene, and even the sealing of fissures to stop cavities from forming. 

Cosmetic Treatments From Dentists

One of the main reasons though that people want to switch dentists is to find someone who can help improve the look of their teeth. To many of us, having teeth that look good to others and ourselves is just as important as teeth that are healthy and fully functioning. Some techniques available include teeth whitening, which helps remove strains via chemical means within a safe environment. There are also ‘veneers’, which are small, custom-made tooth-like materials made to cover the front side of a tooth and can help enhance the overall appearance of your teeth. Usually, they are made from thin porcelain or plastic resin. There are also white fillings, which are, for many people, much better than silver fillings. When people laugh or open their mouth, they may worry about their fillings being visible. White fillings can help remove that need to be self-conscious. Then there is ‘bonding’, in which tooth-colored plastic resin is applied to individual teeth to restore, and also improve, someone’s smile.