We Know You Don’t Floss! Secrets You Can’t Keep from Your Dentist

It’s time for your periodic dental checkup, and you know you haven’t followed any of the advice you got last time. Can you make your dentist believe that you have been taking all their oral health care tips seriously with some last-minute cleaning up? Well, you can’t! Your dentist can take one look, and they will know precisely what you have been doing and what not. Unbelievable? Take a look. 

Do you floss? 

Don’t floss hard before you have to head in for your dental checkup. Red, bleeding gums will show you up right away! Regular flossing gives you great-looking gums that are healthy pink and tight around the teeth base. Spare yourself the pain of flossing vigorously when you need to head to the dentist, and instead, make it a daily habit. 

Flossing helps stop plaque from building up, especially in the areas that are hard for the brush to reach. The gaps between teeth are a great example. Bacteria build up here without flossing because your brush and paste can’t clean them out. Daily flossing ensures that these hard-to-reach areas are clean and healthy. 

Do you bite your nails? 

Chipped and cracked teeth are a dead giveaway of a constant nail-biting habit. The teeth wear down quite drastically thanks to your nail-biting habit too. Did you know that this happens because the two sets of teeth come together and grind by force when you bite your nails? 

Do you grind your teeth? 

Teeth grinders also give away this habit through their worn-down teeth instantly. Suppose you have been having headaches or jaw aches right after you wake up every day. In that case, your dentist may quickly get to the bottom of it by diagnosing bruxism during your dental checkup. Bruxism may be something you are not even aware you are doing. All he needs to do is look for worn teeth.

He’ll recommend solutions like teeth guards or something similar to safeguard your teeth. Overlooking bruxism can result in loose teeth or even jaw damage.

Do you have smoking and alcoholic habits? 

Heavy drinkers are in for trouble at their annual dental cleaning visit if they are in denial about their habit. Dry mouth problems are a common side effect of drinking excessive alcohol because this restricts saliva production. Adding to this is the smell of alcohol on your breath. For smokers, stained teeth are a dead giveaway. The nicotine stains on your fingers are not easy to hide either. Smoking puts you at high risk of mouth and oral cancers and is a big NO. 

Oral hygiene and good oral health ensure that bacteria do not flourish in your mouth and enter your system from there. This can lead to many infections and ailments. A regular dental checkup and a proper daily oral health care routine are simple ways to avert this. At your dentist’s, even simple procedures like a thorough dental cleaning can ensure that your teeth, gums, and mouth are in excellent health, giving you a beautiful smile.