As the Leaves Fall, Don’t Forget to Take Care of Your Teeth!

Dental health is an essential part of overall health and well-being. Poor dental hygiene leads to tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease, and it’s also linked to cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Maintaining healthy teeth is a lifelong commitment. The earlier one learns proper oral hygiene, such as flossing, brushing, and limiting the sugar intake, the easier it’ll be to avoid costly procedures and long-term health issues.

What’s Dental Hygiene?

Dental hygiene keeps the teeth free from decay and the other mouth structure free from infection. This includes regular flossing and brushing. Our dentist in Plano also recommends dental cleanings and exams at least twice yearly to ensure proper oral hygiene.

Proper dental hygiene is important in improving oral health and overall well-being.

Importance of Dental Hygiene

Oral hygiene aims to prevent plaque buildup that causes tooth decay or gum infection. Beyond oral health, there are other reasons why dental hygiene is important:

It Leads to Earlier Detection of Oral Diseases

To maintain good oral health, visit our preventive dentistry in Plano at least twice a year. With dental visits, our dentists examine and evaluate your dental conditions regularly. Dental exams and cleanings help detect any oral disease or health complications caused by oral conditions.

Prevents Tooth Loss

This is among the most common dental problem in children and adults. One reason for tooth loss is poor dental hygiene. Poor oral hygiene causes plaque buildup that can result in severe gum infection and tooth decay which might cause tooth loss.

Regular and proper flossing and brushing help reduce plaque buildup. However, flossing and brushing aren’t enough to ensure that your oral hygiene and health are in top shape. It’s best to schedule dental cleaning twice a year. This ensures that the hard-to-reach gum lines and teeth are tartar and plaque-free.

Helps Your Dentist Create an Oral Treatment Plan for You

Mouth structures and dental conditions vary for each patient. These dental conditions are detected during your dental visits by your dentist in Lutke Dental. Dental evaluations help create a unique dental plan for every patient’s needs.

Have a Brighter and Whiter Smile

To achieve a healthy smile, you must practice oral hygiene daily. When you keep your teeth plaque-free, it helps you smile with confidence.

What to Do for Dental Hygiene in the Fall

When oral hygiene is in the fall, you should try some of these practices to ensure you have healthy teeth and gums.

Do not Smoke

You should be aware that smoking harms the body’s immune system making it harder for your body to heal tissues, including those found in the mouth. Smoking cigarette is also a risk factor for gum disease, so if you smoke, you may experience slower healing after dental treatment. In addition, smoking affects the appearance of the mouth, which leads to yellowing of your teeth and tongue, giving your breath a bad odor.

Limit Sugary Foods and Starches

When you take a lot of sugar, it leads to cavities. Common culprits of sugars are desserts and candy, but many processed foods contain added sugar. Therefore, you should consume sugars that are below 10% of your daily calories.

Instead of sugary and starchy foods, you should eat plenty of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables and dairy products without added sugar.

Consider a Mouthwash

Certain mouthwashes benefit oral health. Ensure you ask your dentist about the best mouthwash that suits you.

Some Common Fall Dental Problems

We use our mouth and teeth often, and many things can go wrong. However, most dental problems can be prevented with good oral hygiene. The problems include:

Cavities

These sites of your tooth are permanently damaged and might even have holes. They occur when food, acid, and bacteria coat your teeth and form a plaque. The acid eats away the enamel and eventually causes permanent damage.

Gum Disease

This’s an inflammation of your gums. It results from plaque buildup on the teeth due to poor flossing and brushing habits.

Broken or cracked teeth

This can result from chewing hard foods and an injury to the mouth. Therefore, you should visit your dentist if you have one.

Tips for Good Fall Dental Hygiene

Some of the recommendations include:

• Brushing at least twice daily
• You avoid sugary snacks and eat healthy foods
• Avoid taking tobacco products
• Ensure you rinse your mouth with clean water after meals
• Floss properly