The nice thing about taking care of your oral health is that the routine rarely changes. Maintaining good oral health is important because tooth decay and gum disease can also affect other parts of your body, including your heart. Here are four tips to keep a healthy mouth.
1. Brush and floss daily. You’ve probably heard this advice before, but it’s worth repeating. Make it a habit to brush twice a day and floss once a day. Brushing and flossing your teeth removes plaque and bacteria to prevent gun disease and bad breath.
2. Limit sugary snacks. Chips and sodas may be convenient, but they’re overloaded with sugar. Sugar feeds the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. Choose whole fruits and vegetables or cheese sticks as your snacks over processed foods. Healthier food choices contribute to healthier teeth and gums.
3. Chew sugar-free gum. Chewing sugar-free gum between meals can help fight cavities and bad breath throughout the day. Gum shouldn’t be used instead of brushing and flossing, but it can help produce saliva to wash food particles off your teeth.
4. Maintain regular dental checkups. Seeing the dentist twice a year for checkups and cleanings can help spot dental health problems early and can even help prevent some problems from developing at all.
You don’t have to wait until summer break to see the dentist. Call 402.472.7495 to schedule an appointment at the University Health Center Dental Clinic or visit health.unl.edu/dental to learn more about our services.
More details at: https://health.unl.edu/dental