It’s always worth taking basic precautions that can prevent you from becoming sick. The same is true of your oral health. By taking basic steps on a daily or regular basis, you can prevent gum disease and tooth decay. Preventing these problems will not only spare you discomfort, but it will also spare you the cost of restorative dentistry. Preventive care is the best way to keep your smith healthy. If you’re not already taking advantage of these simple preventive care methods, then now is the time to start.

Attend Dental Cleanings and Prepare for Them

Almost everyone has lied about flossing at their dentist’s office at some point. Save yourself the trouble by actually starting to floss! Not only should you be scheduling and attending biannual dentist appointments, but you should also prepare for them by keeping your teeth clean. A professional cleaning is not an opportunity to make up for months of under-brushing or under-flossing your teeth. Instead, a dental cleaning should be a check in, an affirmation that you’re taking all the necessary steps at home to keep your teeth clean and healthy.

Reduce Your Intake of Problematic Foods

Every individual’s genetics play a role in how easy or difficult it is for them to keep their teeth clean. If you’re someone who needs more than brushing twice daily and flossing regularly to keep cavities away, evaluate your diet. Your dietary choices can make it easier or more difficult for bacteria to grow. Consuming sugary, sticky foods gives the bacteria in your mouth an easy source of food. Removing food, like candy, from your teeth is often more difficult. The leftover residue becomes a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.

Take Stock of How Your Teeth Are Feeling

Another way that you can practice preventive dentistry at home is by noticing how you feel. Take a moment to evaluate your teeth. Do they feel gritty if you run your tongue over them? This may be a sign that you need to brush more often or more thoroughly. Are you experiencing any pain in any part of your mouth? Tooth sensitivity may come and go, but pain is typically an indicator that something is wrong. If you’re experiencing something unpleasant, take note of it and bring it up to your dentist.

Schedule Your Preventive Appointment with Healthy Smiles Northwest Indiana

Taking care of your teeth requires some attention to detail, but the necessary daily cleaning steps don’t have to be difficult! In addition to brushing and flossing your teeth, make sure you schedule a preventive checkup at Healthy Smiles. Our team will evaluate your teeth and make sure that no serious problems are developing on the surfaces of your teeth or beneath them. Make your appointment by contacting the Healthy Smiles Northwest Indiana office in Gary, IN at 219-938-2637.