26 Dec Why Dental Care Is Self-Care
If one of your new year’s resolutions is to practice more self-care, don’t forget to include a few habits that are good for your dental health. Simple things like flossing every day and drinking more water are great ways to show yourself a little love. And since your dental health is so closely linked to your general health, making a few little changes to your oral care routine can have a really big impact. Here’s how dental care is self care, and how taking care of your teeth at home can improve your sense of wellbeing.
Five Self-Care Practices That Are Good for Your Teeth
1: Drink More Water
Everybody needs to drink more water, especially when they live in a high-altitude, desert climate like ours. Low air humidity and higher respiration rates make you a lot more vulnerable to dry mouth. And since it’s easier for plaque to build up in a dry mouth, this puts you at risk for cavities and gum disease.
Drinking water can help you:
- Reduce plaque
- Fight bad breath
- Prevent stains
- Neutralize acid attacks
- Strengthen your tooth enamel
- Prevent cavities and gum disease
2: Floss Every Day
Most people brush their teeth once a day. Some even brush twice. But not all of them are flossing on a regular basis. If you can make flossing part of your daily self care routine, you’ll have healthier gums and fewer cavities.
In fact, daily flossing is the best way to prevent gum disease. If you’re using string floss, make sure you’re flossing the right way, so you don’t damage your gum tissue. And if you hate string floss, try using a water flosser instead.
3: Reduce Stress
Believe it or not, your stress levels have a direct effect on your dental health. Stress can make you grind your teeth, neglect good habits, or revert to bad ones (like smoking or vaping). Self-care practices like soaking in a hot bath, meditating, going to a yoga class, or aromatherapy are all great ways to relieve stress.
Stress causes an inflammatory response, and since gum disease is a chronic inflammatory condition, stress will only make gum disease worse. So however you choose to reduce stress—whether it’s going for a walk, playing with a pet, or talking to a therapist—if you keep it up, you’ll have better dental health and better health overall.
4: Try Oil Pulling
If you’re into holistic remedies, try making oil pulling part of your daily routine. This ancient Ayurvedic practice dates back thousands of years, and recent studies have been proving its effectiveness. Oil pulling is a great way to reduce plaque, and many people report that it makes their teeth look whiter.
Oil pulling takes at least ten minutes, so it’s a bit of a commitment. But if you double it up with other self-care practices, like listening to an audiobook or a guided meditation, you can reduce stress and fight plaque at the same time.
5: Schedule a Dental Exam
Sometimes going to the dentist is a form of self-care. A lot of times, people think that they don’t need to go to the dentist as long as their teeth seem healthy. But if you skip your dental exams and cleanings, you’re missing out on all sorts of preventive treatments. You’re also giving tartar and plaque more time to do damage.
It’s always better to repair a cavity while it’s still small. However, you probably won’t be able to spot it on your own. Dental exams and radiographs are the best way to prevent cavities from getting worse. Your dentist is also better at recognizing the signs of other problems like gingivitis or bruxism. And since your dental health is so closely connected to your mental health and your physical health, making regular dental appointments is a great way to take better care of your entire self.
Holistic Dentistry in Prescott, Arizona
As a holistic dental practice, our focus is on prevention and whole-body wellness. From the materials we use to the treatments we offer, we want to provide the most natural dental care options available. Your smile deserves some love! To make an appointment at Prescott Dentistry, call us at 928-445-1660 or send us a message online.
Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash used with permission under the Creative Commons license for commercial use 12/12/24.