Your smile plays an essential part in first impressions. Taking care of your teeth and gums means you can laugh confidently, talk easily, enjoy tasty meals, and so much more. But without proper daily and routine care, your teeth and gums health will diminish. That’s why taking care of your oral health will benefit you long-term. Today, we wanted to review bad dental habits you should ditch in 2024. Replacing these with healthier routines will help your smile in the long term.
Here are dental habits to avoid:
- Skipping Your Daily Hygiene Routine
When you don’t brush correctly twice a day, plaque bacteria accumulate on teeth to cause inflammation, decay, and bad breath. Stay committed to your daily routine by using a reward chart or your personal calendar. Use a timer to keep track of your full two-minute cleaning sessions. If you have trouble staying on track, consider investing in an electronic toothbrush. Many come with timers that make it easier for you to stick to the two minutes.
- Ignoring Professional Cleanings
Even diligent at-home brushing can’t remove all the plaque and tartar buildup from your teeth and near your gumline. This year, schedule your dental checkup every six months. Our team will clean your teeth and thoroughly examine your mouth for oral health issues. By catching problems early on, we can treat them easier. If you haven’t been to the dentist in a while, make sure to schedule your appointment ASAP.
- Clenching and Grinding Stress Relief
Many people grind their teeth unconsciously to find relief from stress. However, this habit damages enamel, strains jaw joints, causes headaches, and leads to dental damage. Ask about our custom bite guard. You’ll wear it while you sleep, the most common time of day for teeth grinding or clenching. You’ll finally give your jaw the relief you need!
- Not Wearing Retainers as Directed
Did you just complete your orthodontic treatment? If so, that means we’ve given you a custom retainer. However, after enduring braces or aligners for months or years, you could be tempted to ditch your retainers. But teeth drift out of position without this support, undoing all your hard orthodontic work! Wear removable retainers as advised. If your retainer doesn’t fit you properly or feels uncomfortable for you to wear again, make an appointment.
- Putting Off Necessary Treatment
Dental issues like cavities, cracked teeth, or gum infections tend to worsen without care. If you notice blood in the sink after brushing or flossing, experience an increased sensitivity to hot and cold, or struggle with a toothache, give us a call right away. Small problems become emergencies without quick intervention. Stay ahead of disease with prompt attention.
Don’t let poor habits sabotage your oral health. Make 2024 the year you ditch your bad dental habits and embrace a healthier smile. Our team loves giving patients smiles they feel proud to show off. We offer a wide range of treatments for just about every stage of life. Discuss habits you want to change with a family member or friend, so they can hold you accountable.
Call Drake Family Dentistry today at 956-450-7375 to arrange a visit. You can also ​​.