A variety of things can affect your smile
Staying on top of it is not too hard
Even adults can wear braces
It’s one of the first things that people notice when they meet you – your smile. Are you confident enough to give a big grin… or are you not-so-happy with the state of your mouth, so you just give them the tight-lipped smile? It can definitely send off the wrong signal, especially if it’s a first date or an important job interview.
Here’s some of the ways that you can get the happier smile that you deserve!
Watch What You Eat
No matter the season, there are foods that can do damage to your teeth. This isn’t including hard candy or any other sweets like chocolate bars that people eat year-round. Instead, we’re talking things like watermelons with their seeds that can get stuck between teeth during the summer or cotton candy with their sugary content. If you do feel the urge to eat these, be sure to brush your teeth very soon thereafter to prevent any kind of film buildup.
Other foods include citrus, since their acidity can harm teeth – though they can be tasty at almost all times. Potato chips and dried fruit also rank as things to have in moderation. Also, don’t indulge in the habit of crunching on ice. That can do a number on your teeth.
Watch What Beverages You Drink, Too
Yes, there are so many delicious drinks out there. The problem is that so many of them can stain your teeth or even wear down the enamel on them. Coffee and dark sodas can greatly reduce the whiteness levels of your teeth. Having orange or grapefruit juice can boost your immune system with vitamin C – but the natural sugar and the citric acid can immediately start attacking your teeth and your enamel.
How’s Your Brushing Technique?
Plaque and tartar can build up in your mouth pretty quickly. You just have to get a stiff-bristled toothbrush and brush hard to get it off, right? Wrong. Doing that can severely irritate your gums and also damage your enamel. Instead, you want to use a soft-bristled brush, preferably an electric one, and brush for 30 seconds in each quadrant of your mouth. That equals two minutes. Do that twice a day every day along with flossing and rinsing with mouthwash and you should be well on your way to optimum oral health.
Orthodontics Are For Adults, Too
When you think of braces, you tend to visualize awkward-looking teens or tweens. Orthodontics are not just their niche, though. Also, this dental technology has improved over the decades and there are things like Invisalign that can make the process virtually undetectable.
Why consider doing this, though? Having straight teeth can improve everything from speech to preventing tooth decay from food being stuck between gaps. It can make you feel much more confident.
Dr. Shaista Najmi and her staff at Ivory Dental Jacksonville can help you have the teeth and smile that you deserve. They can do everything from teeth whitening to orthodontics.