Why Take Risks With Your Smile

You know all of the good advice that is out there. You may even hear it twice a year when you visit your dentist, but then you go home and go back to the same habits with your smile that you had before visiting the dentist.

For example, do you skip flossing sometimes, or all the time? Do you consume a high carbohydrate breakfast and then rush out of the house only vowing to brush your teeth at the end of the day? Or do you run out to the soccer field and leave your mouth guard on the sidelines? No matter what your decision is with your smile, now is the opportunity for you to change all of that. Here are 3 ways to make positive changes with your smile and change your bad habits into positives in order to decrease the risks with your smile.

Take your bad habit and turn it into the behavior that you want to see. For example, if you want to floss everyday. Instead of saying to yourself, “I always forget to floss,” say “I’m going to remember to floss everyday.” Write this down somewhere that you go in the morning or at night right before you do other things. If you always go into the bathroom first thing in the morning, write this message large and in a location that your eyes will hit the message first.

Next, plan your reward. I know you’re not a little kid anymore but a reward can go along way when you are starting and implementing a new habit. In fact it is critical that you have something to look forward to and while having a healthy smile is a reward you may need something a little more.

Then, plan how long it is going to take you and mark on a calendar each day that you accomplish the goal. This can help you have the visual you need in order to be successful.

Take photos and post them. It is always better when you have friends involved. You may think posting photos of you flossing is gross, so then just put a selfie of your smile after you floss. This way you can see the health of your smile improve and be rewarded for your hard work.

For more information on healthy dental habits contact Dr.Judy Strutz and her team!