JANUARY CAN BE A NEW BEGINNING, AND A GREAT TIME TO THINK ABOUT YOUR INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING YEAR. TODAY ON THE BLOG WE ARE DISCUSSING THE IMPORTANCE OF FORMING GOOD DENTAL HABITS; WHY THEY ARE IMPORTANT AND SOME TIPS ON HOW TO SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS.
The importance of good oral hygiene
It can’t be said enough, prevention is key for maintaining oral health. Removal of plaque, tartar, and debris from your mouth is critical to preventing unhealthy teeth and gums. Maintaining a balanced diet is important because our bodies need nutritious foods to help form and maintain healthy bones and teeth. Personal and professional routine care is also necessary to support our teeth. Your dental routine should include:
Brushing your teeth twice a day with a soft or extra soft toothbrush,
Flossing once a day,
Using some form of fluoride mouth rinse once or twice a day, and
Receiving a dental cleaning with a hygienist and checkup with a dentist every six months, unless otherwise directed by your dental professional.
Check out our previous blogs for more information about the importance of oral hygiene and routine.
Forming good habits
Many of us know what to do to care for our health, but sometimes it’s easier said than done right! If some of these practices have slipped for you it can be difficult to get them going again. We get it, most of us have good intentions when we start something new (or even think about starting something new), especially at this time of year! However, we often go about forming new habits the wrong way. We make big plans or grand gestures that we often have a hard time following through on.
Research has shown that we often make these plans or resolutions without setting ourselves up for success and coming up with a plan to follow through. Behavioral science experts have identified a few key things to help you stick with your plan and help you build healthy habits:
Identify your triggers (know and understand what is likely to deter you)
Create a plan and start small (instead of trying to do it all and make a big change, start with something small and try that for a while before adding another step)
Think positive, commit to yourself, and reward yourself (take time to celebrate your changes)
Here are some good resources we like with more information about succeeding in forming good habits:
Tips for improving dental habits
Now let’s take what we know about forming good habits and think about how we can apply them to what we know about good oral hygiene. One of the areas for improvement our dentists and hygienists are always talking about is daily flossing. Ideally, flossing is done at least once a day, as it helps remove food debris and plaque away from the areas that your toothbrush cannot reach. It’s an important step in preventing gum disease and other oral issues.
To establish a good routine for flossing, Dr. Hamilton suggests that you consider the following:
Floss immediately after brushing, so that it feels like part of the process, and not a separate affair. Use a good quality floss that best suits your teeth or restoration types. This will make it easier to floss, and more comfortable, which in turn may help you maintain your routine!
Another important (and sometimes very difficult) area to form good habits is with children’s experiences caring for their teeth. Sometimes it feels impossible to get a two-year-old to brush their teeth before bed, but establishing good practices for kids is important. The earlier we can help children develop good routines the better it will be for their long-term practice and health. To support your kids in establishing good practices (and hopefully decrease the dreaded toothbrush battles) consider a few of these tips and tricks:
Help your baby get used to the feeling of cleaning their teeth by using a wet facecloth to rub their gums.
Once your baby gets teeth use an infant and toddler toothbrush and help them brush their teeth at least twice a day.
Help your child learn how to spit out the toothpaste and supervise them until they can consistently spit on their own.
If your child is struggling think about the tips for establishing good habits:
Make sure your child isn’t too tired
Start small – get them comfortable with a toothbrush first, then add toothpaste, then add flossing.
Make it fun!
Help your child find a fun toothbrush to use
Find a special toothbrush song and always play it while brushing your teeth.
Acknowledge your children’s efforts and celebrate their success with establishing a good brushing routine!
What’s the dental habit you want to focus on this year? How can we help you? Call us at 306-931-0000 to book an appointment with one of our dentists or hygienists to discuss your dental routine and habits.