Let’s face it, a healthy smile is more attractive. Pink, firm gum tissue is much nicer to look at than red, swollen gum tissue. Brilliant white teeth are much more beautiful than teeth filled with cavities. But you aren’t just keeping your smile healthy because you want to look great. You want to feel great too.
The truth is, a healthy smile can protect the health of your body. Dr. Samia Rageb Hempel at Park View Smiles in Chicago, Illinois offers comprehensive dental care, including preventive dentistry to help you maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.
If you want to keep your smile healthy, plaque is the enemy. That’s because plaque contains millions of harmful bacteria that can infect your gums and supporting bone, causing gum and periodontal disease, and it can cause tooth decay. To keep your smile healthy, you need to remove the plaque as thoroughly and frequently as possible.
You do this by:
Brushing your teeth after you eat, and before going to bed. Always use a soft-bristled toothbrush and a toothpaste with fluoride. Gently brush all surfaces of your teeth and along the gumline.
Floss your teeth once each day. Using a piece of floss, gently guide the floss down in between your teeth. Make sure you wrap the floss around the widest part of each tooth as you go down in between your teeth. The wrapping technique helps to keep the floss snug against the surface of your tooth, to clean better.
Diet also plays an important part in keeping your smile healthy. Sugar, especially liquid sugars like those in sodas and fruit juices can negatively affect your smile.
Calcium is great for your teeth, so make sure you add some great sources of calcium to your diet, including dairy products like yogurt and milk, and plenty of green, leafy vegetables.
Your dental care professionals can also help you keep a healthy smile by providing preventive services, including a dental examination and x-rays every year, and professional dental cleanings twice each year. You deserve to enjoy a healthy smile for life.