Best Practices For A Healthy Smile

It is essential to maintain good oral hygiene practices for a healthy, beautiful smile. Listed below are the most important oral health tips to follow to improve your oral health.

• Brush and floss your teeth regularly

You should brush your teeth twice a day using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. This helps prevent cavities, gum disease, tooth erosion, and more. Make sure to spend at least two minutes each time brushing rather than quickly dashing through the motions. This helps increase the effectiveness of your brushing and helps remove more plaque from your teeth. Also, you should floss your teeth at least once a day. It’s best to stick to waxed floss that glides easily between teeth without snagging or tearing. This helps remove food particles from between your teeth that your toothbrush can’t reach.

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet

In addition to brushing and flossing regularly, one of the most important things you can do to keep your smile healthy is to eat a healthy diet. A healthy diet consists of a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and protein. On the other hand, if you eat a lot of foods that are high in sugar and starch, they are likely to contribute to tooth decay. 

• Visit your dentist for regular exams and professional cleanings

If you want a healthy smile, you have to see the dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings. Regular visits allow your dentist to diagnose and treat problems early before they can cause serious damage or become painful. These appointments also provide preventive care that will improve your oral health and your overall well-being.

A routine checkup will include an oral cancer screening, a periodontal exam to measure the depth of your gums, and a professional cleaning to remove any tartar from your teeth. The hygienist will also review your risk factors for gum disease and recommend how to improve your oral health.

During your routine checkup visit, we can also detect other oral health issues that may be developing or causing you discomfort. We can apply fluoride varnish to prevent tooth decay, place crowns on teeth that are extremely sensitive, and repair damaged teeth and fillings. Our dentist can also give you tips to improve your oral hygiene at home so that you can avoid new issues with your smile. For example, you may need to switch to a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean your teeth. You may also need to cut out sugary foods and drinks to protect your smile against decay. Visiting the dentist every six months also saves you money in the long run because we’ll catch and treat problems before they require extensive treatment at the dentist’s office.

If you take good care of your teeth and gums at home and see your dentist regularly, you’re already doing most of what’s necessary to keep your smile healthy and beautiful for life. To learn more, get in touch with the dentists at Stonewall Dental by calling (703) 368-1000 or visiting the office at 8719 Stonewall Road, Manassas, VA 20110.