Looking to improve your overall dental health? At Plantation Road Dental Care, we provide patients with the general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry services they need to achieve their dream smiles in our Destrehan, LA dentist office. One of our goals is to educate patients on how to take care of their dental health outside of the dentist’s office. Our office welcomes patients at any stage of their dental health journey. If you have been avoiding going to the dentist and want to know how to improve your dental health, here are our three best tips:
Brush & Floss
While this may seem like an obvious tip, it is one of the most important ones we have to offer. Patients should brush and floss their teeth at least twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Brushing and flossing are your smile’s main lines of defense against common dental concerns like tooth decay and gum disease. The more often that you brush and floss your teeth, the less amount of food residue that will be left behind on your smile after meals. It’s important to reduce the amount of food residue left behind on your smile for extended amounts of time. The longer food residue remains on or between your teeth, the more likely it is to harden into plaque or tartar and become more difficult to remove. Over time, the bacteria inside of plaque or tartar can eat away at your healthy soft tissues, requiring more extensive restorative care. By brushing and flossing twice a day, you can reduce your chances of developing costly dental concerns by stopping dental concerns right at the source.
Evaluate Your Diet
Your diet directly impacts your dental health. Because your teeth come in contact with everything you eat or drink, by making better dietary choices, you may see improvements in your overall dental health. Foods and beverages that are notoriously tough on your smile like artificially flavored candy, potato chips, and sugary sodas can leave behind excess sugars and residues on your dental structures. Additionally, many foods and beverages contain staining agents that will dull or yellow your smile over time. Incorporating more smile-friendly snacks into your weekly meal plan is a great way to ensure you are providing your smile with the nutrients it needs to remain healthy and strong. Our favorite smile-friendly snacks include pita chips with hummus, fruit smoothies, or greek yogurt.
Schedule Your Routine Dental Cleanings
Even patients with the most vigilant at-home oral hygiene routines should schedule routine dental cleanings once every six months. No matter how long it has been since the last time you’ve sat in the dental chair, Plantation Road Dental Care welcomes you to join our growing dental family. We are here to help you, not judge you, and will do everything we can to keep you calm and comfortable while under our care. During your routine dental cleanings, our hygienists will remove any plaque or tartar buildup that is threatening your dental health. They can point out areas in your smile that may need a little extra care during your at-home oral hygiene routine. Additionally, they can provide more helpful tips on caring for your smile. If you are looking for a new dentist office in Destrehan, LA, please schedule an appointment online. We look forward to seeing you soon.