6 Healthy Teeth Tips

Don’t let summertime snacking sabotage your family’s healthy teeth goals. Make sure to be intentional about your family’s habits so you can keep oral wellness trends on the up-and-up. Consider adopting the following six healthy teeth strategies encouraged by the American Dental Association to help you make a healthy teeth summer plan.

Li’l Sunshine Smiles Dentistry delievers the best care medicine and science can provide with a gentle and kind approach. Contact us today at (813) 576-0200 to make an appointment for a visit!

Have an Oral Care Routine

The importance of an oral care routine can’t be overstated. Kids thrive with routines. Establishing patterns of oral wellness while they are young will set them up for healthy teeth patterns and outcomes in the future. So much of what you do as a parent to safeguard their teeth in the early years will impact the health of their smile in the years to come.

Be consistent about when and how long you brush teeth. The ADA advises that teeth be brushed for two minutes, at least twice a day, dividing the mouth into four quadrants and giving equal time to each area. Don’t forget to brush the tongue! Flossing should be part of your oral care routine once a day as well before you brush your teeth.

Make Nutritious Choices

What you eat greatly impacts your healthy teeth goals. Your teeth need essential nutrients to be strong. Diets heavy in sugar break down the enamel of your teeth and lead to tooth decay. When you eat also plays a role. If you are eating all day, but not brushing after each snack, you teeth are constantly assailed with sugars.

Eat a variety of foods from each of the five major food groups:

• whole grains
• fruits
• vegetables
• lean sources of protein (lean beef, skinless poultry and fish; dry beans, peas and other legumes)
• low-fat and fat-free dairy foods

Visit Your Dentist Every 6 Months

While healthy teeth are supported by your home oral care habits, professional dental care has a vital role. Dr. Botero and her friendly team are trained to identify problem spots early and get on top of them to prevent larger issues. Professional cleanings, dental x-rays, exams, and fluoride treatments are just a few of the important aspects of your biannual dental visit. If you don’t remember how long it has been since your family’s last cleaning, it’s probably been too long!

Drink Water

Hydration helps to eliminate bacteria from your mouth and rid them from the surfaces of your teeth. It also helps dislodge food particles that have lodged in between teeth or in the pits and grooves of teeth. Further, drinking water instead of sodas and juices is a better strategy for healthy teeth. An average soda drink has 16 teaspoons of sugar! Yikes!

Use Teeth Protection During Activities

Another way to establish healthy teeth now and in the future is to protect them during activities that require protection with a custom-made mouthguard. Mouth guards lower the incidence of tooth trauma by 60 percent! Mouth guards keep smiles intact while also saving you the expense of tooth restoration following oral accidents.

Limit Snacking

Every household has a grazer, or two. Often we snack because we haven’t had big enough main meals. Households should strive to have robust breakfasts, lunches, and dinners so that snacking is appropriate during the day. One snack between meals should be sufficient. If you find that your household is snacking more than this, increase the quantity of food at your main meals and reach for more protein! Snacking exposes the teeth to constant sugars and starches and slowly erodes the enamel to allow tooth decay to have its day–don’t let that happen!

Call to Schedule an Appointment Today!

Dr. Cat has state licenses to practice dentistry in Colorado and Florida. She is a member of the American Dental Association (ADA), Florida Dental Association (FDA) and an affiliate member of the American Association of Pediatric Dentists (AAPD).  She stays on top of the latest developments in the dental field and attends continuing education courses regularly. You and your child are in good hands with her and our amazing team!

Contact us today at (813) 576-0200 to make an appointment for a visit!