A guide to better oral health from our dentist
In today’s society, most people know how to take good care of their health; sleep well, eat right, exercise, meditate and see a doctor if there is an issue. Simple!
But what about your teeth? Could you be inadvertently damaging your dental health with your lifestyle habits?
At Chelsea Green Dental, our dentist in Chelsea is always on hand to help you get your oral health back on track, with everything from advice to restorative procedures.
In the following guide, our dentist in Chelsea looks at 5 of the most common things that you may be doing that are damaging your oral health.
Missing check-ups
Our dentist in Chelsea knows that attending biannual check-ups are the cornerstone of maintaining good oral health.
In recent times due to the pandemic, many people have missed their biannual check-ups and so, if you are a bit behind on having your teeth looked at, book one today to avoid more invasive procedures and discomfort from occurring.
Check-ups also provide our team with the opportunity to check for oral cancer and allow you to ask our team questions about secondary dental procedures and cosmetic options, such as dental whitening or oral implants.
Smoking
Smoking not only causes your teeth to become yellow, but it also exposes your mouth to an array of carcinogens, which increase the risk of you developing oral cancer.
It can also damage your gums, allowing them to become more porous, thus enabling plaque and other bacteria an easy route to your bloodstream.
At our clinic we can offer you help with smoking cessation, so if you want to kick the habit, call us today!
Poor oral hygiene
Brushing your teeth twice a day is the best thing that you can do for your teeth; 3 minutes in the morning after breakfast and 3 minutes in the evening before you go to bed. Be sure to use a high fluoride toothpaste and brush your teeth with small circular motions if using a manual toothbrush. You can also now use interdental brushes rather than floss to get to those difficult spots.
Failure to do this can allow plaque to build up, which can heighten the chance of developing both gum disease and tooth decay.
Diet
It should come as no surprise that what you eat can impact your teeth.
If you eat sugary foods, you run the risk of developing more cavities. If you are a fan of acidic food and drink (which includes coffee and orange juice) you expose the enamel of your teeth to acids, which can cause them to weaken and become more susceptible to cavities and cracks.
We can mitigate against acid damage by applying fluoride sealants and offering dietary advice.
Thumb sucking
More common with children, thumb sucking can cause issues with dental alignment, which can lead to orthodontic treatment at best or an increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease at worst.
In many cases where thumb sucking occurs every day, the front teeth are pushed forwards, creating an issue with the bite. If this happens with baby teeth, it may correct when adult teeth come through but, if orthodontics has told us anything, pressure applied to teeth every day (even in adults) can cause them to move.
