Every January, do you find yourself in the same position? Perhaps you desperately want to improve and change, but then you struggle to maintain unrealistic goals for more than a couple of weeks. New Year’s resolutions aren’t supposed to set you up for disappointment and failure. They’re meant to encourage progress and success through attainable goals. When it comes to improving your health this year, you can make simple resolutions that you can enjoy every time you smile!
I Will Brush My Teeth Twice Each Day.
Perhaps at first glance, brushing your teeth two times daily seems superfluous. Isn’t once enough? No, it isn’t! While you sleep, your mouth produces less saliva than during the day, meaning bacteria-filled plaque can more easily form on your teeth. Brushing in the morning helps to give you a clean slate to start your day. Before bed, you may still have food debris and white, sticky plaque attached to your teeth. Brushing them stops the plaque from hardening, which protects your teeth and gums from infection.
Even when you travel or are sick, you should do everything you can to brush twice! Fortunately, this habit takes just a couple of minutes to have a significant impact on your smile.
I Will Floss Every Day.
Like brushing, flossing is a habit that is often overlooked and underestimated in its importance. In fact, most people don’t realize that brushing only reaches about 60 percent of the surfaces of your teeth! With that much untouched surface, no wonder about half of American adults above age 30 have the moderate form of gum disease!
Flossing accesses the spaces between your dentition, clearing out harmful pieces of food and developing plaque. As a result, you will be far less likely to develop gum disease and other oral maladies.
I Will Visit the Dentist Twice This Year for Preventive Care.
Although you can’t deny the importance of daily oral hygiene, it’s often not completely sufficient to avoid problems, but you shouldn’t wait to see the dentist until an emergency strikes. Not only can many toothaches or broken teeth be prevented entirely but many can also be caught and treated before they cause you substantial pain and inconvenience as well as cost you a pretty penny to fix expensive repairs.
If you want to keep your resolutions and make positive changes by the time December comes again, choose simple things you can include in your normal routine to be healthier. Your oral health is a great place to start and see progress this year!
About the Author
Dr. Stephen Boyles grew up in the Permian Basin and is thrilled to serve his friends and neighbors as a knowledgeable dentist. Already in his career, he has achieved what less than 10 percent of dentists accomplish in a lifetime: he is a Fellow with the Academy of General Dentistry. Although he has training in advanced procedures like placing dental implants, he loves building trusting relationships through even simple, routine preventive care with each patient. If you need to schedule an appointment, contact Boyles General Dentistry & Implant Center online or call our Midland office at 432-685-7011.