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!

Are You Impacted By Malocclusion?

Occlusion is the alignment of your teeth, and when there is not proper alignment it is called malocclusion. When the alignment of your jaw is off, it can cause your teeth to hit on the wrong spot when you close your mouth or when you are consuming food. While your malocclusion may be minor and not impact you most of the time, any alignment problems can lead eventually to pain and problems with broken, cracked teeth and jaw or face pain. Constant pressure in the wrong spot can lead to a variety of problems including a need for major dental repairs.

You will want to catch this issue before it causes other problems to your teeth. A simple check with Dr. Judy Strutz and her team can help determine how much of a problem your malocclusion is and how she can help to provide you with a pain free smile.

There are a variety of causes of malocclusion, it may include childhood habits, extra teeth, dental fillings that are not proper fitting, jaw fractures or even tumors of the mouth.

For more information on malocclusion and how you can benefit from proper alignment, contact Dr. Strutz and her team today.

Protect Your Smile This Summer

Now that summer is right around the corner and the weather is warming up it might be easy to reach for that high sugar fruit drink or ice cream instead of water. Avoid this pitfall and instead drink fruit flavored water and keep your smile healthy.  High fructose drinks not only can cause problems with cavities and other dental problems, but can also cause your mouth to dry out.  Dry mouth is an open opportunity for bacteria to get out of control and attack your tooth enamel.

 

Water with fruit in it not only gives you a refreshing drink to quench your thirst, but it can also provide a snack that is low in sugar and carbohydrates which can also impact your smile. Once you are feeling the impact of dry mouth, it is easy to reach for the closest and easiest drink at your fingertips. Avoid this problem by planning head.

Using a refillable water bottle can ensure that you are never far from the water you need to consume. Depending on your weight, where you live and how active you are will determine the amount of water you should be consuming.

For damage to your smile due to dehydration, contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team today!