It’s the New Year and that usually means taking stock of your life and making resolutions to improve your eating habits, lifestyle, and choices. If you overindulged over the holidays, a gym membership and a new juicer are probably the first on your list of must haves. Enjoying chocolate covered cherries, Aunt Rebecca’s homemade fudge, and the fruitcake that your cousin sent you from overseas undoubtedly added a few extra pounds, but savoring that plum pudding and English Trifle didn’t do much good for your teeth and gums either.
Going from party to party probably meant fewer chances to get away and rinse your teeth, much less brush, and floss. Even going without brushing and flossing for a day can damage the enamel on your teeth leading to tooth decay.
Do yourself, your mouth, and the rest of your body a favor and make an appointment for a dental checkup. That toothache that has been bothering you since last October isn’t going to heal itself, and putting it off will only make things worse.
If you can’t remember the last time you saw your dentist you could already be dealing with tooth decay and gum disease. Much needed root canals can go undetected because the nerve in the tooth has died leaving you with no pain. If your toothache suddenly disappeared, you could be asking for an abscessed tooth.
People who see the dentist at least twice a year have less gum disease and fewer cavities and practice good oral hygiene including brushing twice and flossing once a day. Seeing a dentist every six months is also included on the list of good oral habits.
You may have healthy teeth and gums, but if you are constantly hiding your smile because of a missing tooth or a crooked set of front teeth talk to your dentist about Cosmetic Dentistry. Much has changed in the past few years and procedures such as whitening, veneers, crowns, bridges, braces, and tooth colored fillings are affordable for everyone, not just those in the public eye.
Pick up the phone or schedule an appointment online for a checkup, or inquire about affordable cosmetic dentistry. Your smile will thank you for it and so will the rest of your body.
Dr. Michael Layton (DDS) is a dentist based in the South Surrey/White Rock area. With over 10 years of experience in the dental industry and a Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Washington, Dr. Layton enjoys providing safe and easy dental solutions for every patient that walks through the doors of his practice - and reads his blog. You can follow him on Google+.
