5 New Year’s Resolutions for a Healthy & Happy Smile

Many of our Toronto patients are resolving to make positive lifestyle changes during the new year. Lose weight, go to the gym, drink less, and, hopefully, take better care of your smile. 

If oral care is neglected over the holidays (or throughout the year), it is time to initiate change. We cover five easy and accessible ways to have a happy and healthy smile throughout 2024.

1. Perfect your at-home oral care routine

Taking care of your teeth starts at home. Regular check-ups at Bloor West Smiles are vital for your long-term dental health. 

However, you will encounter oral health issues if you neglect your teeth for the rest of the year. Perfecting your at-home routine is your best strategy for preventing everything from bad breath to tooth decay and gum disease.

In 2024, how can you improve your oral hygiene habits? Here are a few suggestions:

• Make sure you’re brushing for a full two minutes: Brushing for less than two minutes is directly correlated with more plaque and tartar buildup, which fosters the development of cavities.
• Pick a better toothbrush: Your toothbrush must be soft-bristled, since hard bristles can damage your enamel. Additionally, you should replace your toothbrush every three months or whenever the bristles look frayed.
• Use proper brushing techniques: Position your brush at a 45-degree angle towards the gumline and brush in a circular motion. It is the optimum position for removing food debris without damaging the enamel.
• Brush twice a day: Two is the golden number for at-home oral care. Brush after breakfast and again after dinner. Ensure you’re waiting at least 30 minutes to brush after eating, since this is when your tooth enamel is weakest. 
• Floss once every day: Flossing is an essential part of your at-home hygiene routine. It removes hard-to-reach food particles and plaque that brushing alone cannot remove. You can use traditional floss or other oral care aids like soft picks or floss threaders. 

2. Drink more water

Everyone knows drinking water is good for your health, especially when choosing water over other liquids like pop or fruit juice. Staying hydrated makes you feel refreshed and can help you lose weight. However, it’s also beneficial for your mouth.

Water helps rinse stubborn food particles, carbohydrates, sugars, and bacteria. Simply taking a sip of water after eating (or drinking something sweet) can help reduce your chance of tooth decay. Rinsing your mouth with water can reduce staining from beverages like coffee, tea, or red wine. 

Essentially, drinking water keeps your mouth healthier and your smile brighter.

Drinking water instead of pop, fruit juice, or alcohol is better for oral health. Pop, juices, and alcohol are high in sugar (and often acidic), which speeds up plaque buildup and can lead to cavities.

3. Quit cavity-causing and disease-promoting habits

Bad habits like alcohol consumption and smoking can wreak havoc on your oral (and overall) health. Starting in 2024, commit to cutting back or eliminating these habits. Your oral health and life expectancy will improve!

Alcohol is highly acidic and frequently has a high sugar content. It breaks down your tooth enamel and feeds the bacteria in your mouth, resulting in an even more acidic environment that continues to erode your enamel. 

It accelerates tooth decay as a result. Reducing your alcohol consumption reduces your risk of cavities.

By quitting smoking and using tobacco products, you are reducing your risk for oral health conditions, such as gum disease and cancer. Plus, your smile will look brighter. After all, smoking doesn’t just damage your teeth, it also leaves unattractive stains.

4. Improve the appearance of your smile

This year, improve your confidence by improving the appearance of your smile. Many cosmetic and restorative procedures can make your smile brighter, straighter, and more attractive. The dental experts at Bloor West Smiles can help make 2024 your smile’s best year yet. How? Let’s take a look.

• Teeth Whitening: Teeth can naturally discolour with time. Fortunately, brightening is easy with professional whitening treatments from Bloor West Smiles. We offer custom take-home whitening trays that brighten your smile efficiently and effectively.
• Correct Chips, Gaps, and Unevenness: Veneers and dental bonding are techniques for correcting imperfections like uneven teeth, gaps, small chips, and cracks. Both look natural, so no one will know you’ve taken steps to improve your smile with cosmetic dentistry.
• Straighten Your Smile: Orthodontics isn’t just for children and teenagers. Invisalign and traditional braces straighten your smile so you can confidently smile, laugh, and talk. Plus, straighter teeth are easier to take care of.
• Replace a Knocked-Out Tooth: It’s essential to replace knocked-out teeth. If there’s a gap in your smile, the surrounding teeth will shift, and your jawbone may degrade. Dental bridges and dental implants are two procedures that address knocked-out teeth.

5. Schedule your next routine check-up at your local dental care clinic 

Regular check-ups are a vital part of maintaining a healthy and happy smile. During these appointments, your dentist removes plaque and tartar buildup (you can only remove tartar with professional tools wielded by your dentist), an essential step in preventing future cavities. 

They also check for developing oral health conditions. Prevention may be the best strategy. However, early treatment is the next best thing. Quickly detecting disease and other health conditions is crucial for low-cost and less invasive interventions.

You should visit a Toronto clinic for dental care every six months. The experienced and knowledgeable dentists at Bloor West Smiles are ready to welcome you! Contact us today to book your next appointment and start the new year right.

Choose Bloor West Smiles for Your Dental Care

Bloor West Smiles offers comprehensive dental care in Toronto. Our team is committed to helping you achieve a happy, healthy, and beautiful smile at any age. Our clinic has a wide range of oral care services, including restorative, cosmetic, children’s, and emergency dentistry.

To learn more about dental care services in Toronto, call Bloor West Smiles at 647-371-1407 or contact us here.