The New Year is upon us and with it comes the usual slew of “new year, new you” resolutions as we try and better ourselves in all aspects of our lives. Many of the most common New Year’s resolutions revolve around living healthier lifestyles. We want to focus on great New Year’s resolutions for your smile and braces. For some, they may be getting braces this year for a straighter smile, for others that may mean staying diligent through treatments. Either way, here are some common resolutions to commit to for a more beautiful smile:
Maintain great cleaning habits
Encourage a beautiful smile through diligent oral cleaning. Brushing and flossing twice a day helps to protect your teeth from decay and eliminate gum disease. It also helps protect oral appliances like braces from plaque buildup. Upgrading to an electric toothbrush can be a big help. Studies have shown that using an electric toothbrush results in significantly greater plaque removal over a manual brush.
Don’t forget to floss. Flossing is essential to remove plaque from between the teeth, wires, brackets, and below the gumline. This is where gum disease and tooth decay usually begin in most patients.
Note that we say to brush and floss at least twice a day–you may need to do so more often on occasion to protect from the damage of certain foods and drinks such as sugary candies and sodas.
Schedule dental & orthodontic appointments
Make it a resolution this year to see your dentist at least twice a year, along with maintaining your regularly scheduled orthodontist appointments. Most dentists tell patients to get cleanings and exams twice a year. Maintaining your dental and orthodontic appointments will help keep your treatments on track for a beautiful smile.
If you don’t have an orthodontist yet but are looking for treatment, consider getting a free consultation from Johnson & Collins Orthodontics in Southlake and Bedford, Texas.
Eating healthy with orthodontic-friendly choices
Now that we’re past the holidays, many are looking to get back to a healthy diet for their New Year’s resolution. This is a wonderful goal, but remember while planning your new diet to choose foods that will not harm your braces. A healthy diet can help strengthen your immune system to prevent bacterial growth in the mouth and fight against gum disease. Food with antioxidants like what’s found in fruits and vegetables are excellent for your oral health. Antioxidants can reduce inflammation of the gums and keep bacterial levels in the mouth at a minimum. Just make sure while your planning healthy choices for your diet to protect your braces. For most fruits and vegetables that means cutting them into bite-sized pieces so no damage comes of your orthodontic appliances.
Reduce alcohol consumption
If you’re an adult with braces consuming alcohol regularly can lead to tooth discoloration, tooth decay, and gum disease. The sugar content and acidity of many alcoholic beverages promote bacterial growth and corrode tooth enamel as well as orthodontic appliances. This can lead to broken wires and brackets which require costly repairs and can set back your treatment by weeks or months of time. Even the high yeast content of beer can lead to bacterial infections in the mouth.
Excessive alcohol use can even lead to open sores in the gums, which are then further exacerbated by rubbing against orthodontic braces. If you are drinking this year, make sure to brush afterward to keep your appliances clean and healthy. It’s a great resolution to consume less alcohol this year and it can help lead to a more beautiful smile.
Quit smoking and other tobacco products
If you’re a smoker and an adult with braces, resolving this year to quit smoking or chewing tobacco has its great health benefits. Specifically for your oral health quitting will help reduce your risks for disease and recession, oral cancer, tooth discoloration, and cavities.
Patients with braces should be extra careful when it comes to smoking as the discoloration can affect more than your teeth but your brackets too, leaving stains around your braces and very unsightly impressions of where your braces once were when they get taken off. Smokeless chewing tobacco runs the risks of getting caught up in wires, leaving shreds to continually eat away at your teeth until properly removed.
We very much encourage quitting tobacco use immediately to reduce your risks for tooth loss, gum disease, and mouth and lung cancer.
Committing to a more beautiful smile this year
Commit to some New Year’s resolutions to give you a magnificent smile this year. Here at Johnson & Collins, we have two locations in the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, area to help you attain the smile of your dreams. We offer orthodontic treatment options that will be flexible to your lifestyle for the new year. Get started by contacting us in Southlake or Bedford, Texas, or schedule a free smile consultation. Read more on our blog.