There’s no better time than the new year to take charge of your dental health. Even if you haven’t done such a great job in the past, you can make small changes that will have a long-term impact.

Review Your Diet

Sweet, sticky foods and sodas filled with sugar might taste good right now, but consuming these foods and drinks regularly can have disastrous consequences for your teeth. Not only are these foods often high in carbohydrates, but they also contain acid that corrodes the enamel of your teeth and can cause decay. Sugar produces a large amount of bacteria in the mouth that attacks your teeth and gums if not removed immediately.

Foods that make a positive impact on your body and teeth include fruits and vegetables, particularly apples, carrots, celery and any leafy green vegetable. Choosing dairy products such as milk and yogurt with a high concentration of protein and calcium helps to improve the strength of your tooth enamel. Drinking water that contains fluoride is important for oral health as well.

Give Up Tobacco for Good

You know that tobacco is harmful to your health, but its strong addictive quality has made it impossible for you to give up until now. However, did you know that tobacco in any form is equally harmful to your oral health? If you’re still deciding on whether you want to quit, consider these harmful effects:

• Dulled sense of smell and taste
• Staining of your tongue and teeth
• Increased likelihood of gum disease and oral cancer
• Slower healing after tooth extraction or other types of oral surgery
• Teeth whitening and other cosmetic dental procedures may not offer the same results that they would to a non-smoker

We understand that giving up smoking or chewing tobacco isn’t easy. Many health clinics offer smoking cessation resources such as one-on-one nurse support and prescription medication that can reduce the craving for nicotine.

Visit the Dentist Regularly

Even those who follow a perfect oral healthcare routine at home that includes twice-daily brushing and flossing benefit from professional dental care. We encourage you not to skip your bi-annual appointment at Premier Dental Care because you assume that your teeth are fine. There’s much more to this appointment than having your teeth cleaned and polished. It also gives your regular dentist the opportunity to inspect your teeth, gums, and mouth for early indications of issues such as oral cancer or periodontal disease. The earlier you receive diagnosis and treatment, the greater the outcome for your oral health.

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Patient education is an important part of our job at Premier Dental Care. Please sign up for our blog to receive regular tips on how you can improve your oral health this year and beyond.