3 New Year’s Resolutions to Benefit Your Oral Health

If you’re unhappy with the state of your smile, you definitely aren’t alone—oral health problems are incredibly common among people of all stripes. Studies have shown that tooth decay is the most prevalent chronic health condition in Americans and that 50% of adults in the U.S. suffer from some form of gum disease.

Now that the new year is upon us, it’s the perfect time to start taking your oral health more seriously. If you, like most people, think that your teeth could use some work, here are some new year’s resolutions that can benefit your oral health.

1. Flossing

Flossing is one aspect of oral health that tends to be neglected, but it’s vitally important to the health of your teeth and gums. Brushing on its own can’t effectively clean between your teeth, so if you don’t floss you can start to see plaque and tartar deposits build up. Inevitably, the bacteria in this buildup will turn into gum disease.

Starting a flossing habit—or any other habit, really—isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but once you’re used to it, you’ll hardly even have to think about it.

2. Cut Back on Drinking

On New Year’s Eve, you’re likely to hear a lot of Auld Lang Syne. On New Year’s Day, however, you’ll hear a different tune, called “I swear I am never drinking that much again.”

Cutting back on alcohol can not only improve how you feel, but it can also make a positive impact on your teeth. Alcohol dries out the mouth, which decreases the amount of saliva that you’re able to produce. Ordinarily, that saliva would be able to break down food and carry it into the stomach, where it can’t feed the bacteria that live in the mouth. Without it, you’re at a much greater risk of both gum disease and tooth decay.

3. Quit Smoking

This one almost speaks for itself. Tobacco not only worsens how your teeth look and your breath smells, but it’s also connected to serious conditions like tooth loss and oral cancer. That’s to say nothing about the way that it affects the rest of your body. If you’re interested in changing your oral health for the better, quitting smoking can be a good place to start.

About the Author

Dr. Heliben Desai has been a dentist for over a decade, and she takes immense pleasure in being able to share her expertise with her patients. When you come to her for dental care, you get more than just good dentistry—you’ll find a partner who will work with you toward incredible oral health. Dr. Desai initially began working as a dentist in India before coming to the U.S., where she studied at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.

If you have any questions about taking care of your oral health in the new year, she can be reached at her website or by phone at (469) 837-8351.