Here at Willaston Dental Care, we offer a wide range of ways to help our patients get a better smile. As well as the treatments we offer, there are lots of things that can be done at home that improve the appearance and health of teeth and gums.
The most obvious way to protect oral health is by developing a good brushing and flossing routine. Brushing should take place twice a day, for two minutes using a fluoride toothpaste. We recommend our patients also floss or use interdental brushes once per day, as a means of removing plaque or any other debris that brushing has missed.
The patient who is already doing a good job of keeping their teeth and gums squeaky clean may wonder if there’s anything else that can be done to help maintain their oral health. As the dentist in Cheshire, we recommend that our patients look at their diet. This can make a significant difference when it comes to risk factors for issues such as gum disease and tooth loss.
What to avoid
Sugar is the enemy of good oral health. Anyone who wants to have healthy teeth should keep their consumption of items like sweets, cakes and chocolate to an absolute minimum. The high sugar in these eats away at the teeth, causing cavities and the deterioration of gum health.
However, it is not just sugar from obvious sources such as these that should be avoided as much as possible. Processed foods, including many ready meals often have high levels of sugar that can contribute to poor oral health. Therefore, it is worth checking the sugar content on these types of foods before deciding to make a purchase. Where possible, we recommend opting for reduced sugar options if our patient feels that ready meals are important due to their lifestyle and time constraints related to the preparation of food.
Fizzy drinks are best limited to special occasions only. This is because they are acidic, which means they can erode the enamel of the teeth. Enamel is important for protecting the integrity of teeth and gums, so should be preserved as much as possible.
The best foods
The dentist in Cheshire recommends a diet that is rich in fruit and vegetables in general. However, there are some specific foods that can help to maintain healthier teeth and gums. Crunchy vegetables are a great option, as they help to clean the teeth as well as promoting the production of saliva which helps to protect them. Therefore, enjoying some carrot or celery sticks at the end of a meal is an excellent way to promote oral health.
Dairy products such as cheese, milk and yoghurt are very helpful in protecting the teeth. This is because they have very little sugar and lots of calcium, which contributes significantly to the health of teeth and bones. Cheese is rich in casein, which is a form of protein that helps to make tooth enamel stronger. This means that the teeth will be both healthier and more robust, therefore less likely to need treatment or even to become damaged or lost.
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