New Years Dental Resolutions For Healthier Teeth

New Years’ is an inspiring time to create healthier habits, so don’t forget about your teeth. Maintaining good oral health is a relatively easy but immensely beneficial resolution for people of all age groups. If you or your family want to commit to taking better care of your teeth this year, Dr. Carol Jin, DDS in San Ramon, CA, can help with these tips and tricks.

New Year’s Resolution IdeasKids Brushing Teeth

  • Brush & Floss Regularly
  • Don’t Forget To Clean Your Tongue
  • Keep Your Smile Bright & White
  • Quit Tobacco
  • Cut Down On Sugar
  • Visit Your Dentist Regularly

Brush & Floss Regularly

Just about everyone knows that they’re supposed to brush their teeth for two minutes, twice a day, but we’re probably all guilty of sometimes skipping a session or cutting it short before the full two minutes have elapsed. Likewise, flossing once per day is important for gum health, but it’s easy to forget to do it.

Try setting reminders on your phone or leaving sticky notes up on the bathroom mirror to remind yourself about maintaining these healthy habits.

Don’t Forget To Clean Your Tongue

Even if you keep your teeth very clean, the bacteria that build up on your tongue can cause bad breath. Using an antiseptic mouthwash and brushing your tongue a few times before spitting out the toothpaste can help reduce this.

You may also want to consider investing in a tongue scraper, but remember to use it gently.

Keep Your Smile Bright & White

Zoom Whitening San RamonIn addition to regular brushing, flossing, and rinsing, you can take further measures to keep your teeth sparkly and white by being careful when consuming the foods and beverages that are most likely to cause stains. Coffee, tea, wine, soda, tomato sauce, and berries are some of the most common culprits because they’re high in acids, tannins, or both.

Thankfully, there’s no need to completely give up these delicious foods and drinks. To minimize stains, you can brush your teeth after a meal or snack, drink from a straw, or alternate between sips of your beverage and water.

Give Up Tobacco

Quitting smoking will help more than just your lungs—tobacco stains your teeth and increases your risk of tooth loss, gum disease, and even oral cancer. Cigarettes aren’t the only culprit, though, as chewing tobacco can have the same adverse effects on your mouth.

Giving up tobacco will vastly benefit your oral health, and it’s definitely something to be proud of.

Cut Down On Sugar

For kids and teens, this might mean going easy on candy, soda, and fruit juice, whereas Mom and Dad may want to consider forgoing their morning mocha on the way to work. When you do eat sweets, it’s important to brush or rinse your teeth immediately afterward to minimize the amount of time the sugar is on the surface of your teeth and prevent plaque buildup.

Visit The Dentist Regularly

Family DentistDon’t wait until your teeth and gums are hurting to go to the dentist—routine dental checkups are essential for maintaining good oral health and preventing unwanted issues. Generally, you should try to have your teeth cleaned and examined twice a year, but seniors may want to visit more frequently depending on their unique dental situation.

Experienced Family & Cosmetic Dentist In San Ramon

If you want to make good oral hygiene your New Year’s resolution, booking an appointment with a dentist is a great way to start. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Carol Jin, DDS in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. We offer dental cleanings, checkups, dental implants, veneers, sedation, and more. Contact us today.

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