How to Keep Your Teeth Healthy

May 19, 2023 | Edmonton Dentist

How to Keep Your Teeth Healthy by The Tooth Doctor

Cosmetic Dentistry Edmonton | How to Keep Your Teeth Healthy

After you have had a dental procedure of any type, including general and cosmetic, you may be wondering how to go about taking care of your teeth and mouth after. You want advice on how to preserve and protect your new smile. Many people are concerned they will upset something in the mouth or damage the procedure in some way. At The Tooth Doctor, we always share with you what you need to do after your appointment with us.

Whether you have had your teeth cleaned and polished or have had a dental implant, you will get step by step instructions on how to best care for your teeth and whole mouth. We also do not want you confused or upsetting anything in your mouth. We want you to enjoy your new smile in the best way. There are certain things you can do after a filling is done as compared to when having fluoride applied to your teeth. Every procedure is a little different and we will always help you have confidence when you leave our clinic.

The top thing that you must do after any procedure is to maintain good oral hygiene habits. Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time. This habit alone helps with reducing plaque and tartar build up. This build up can lead to tooth decay and gum disease, not to mention a less than best looking smile. Floss your teeth once per day. Use mouthwash daily.

The goal of using mouthwash is twofold. It is to kill the bacteria in and around your teeth that a toothbrush cannot reach. It also helps strengthen the enamel you do have on your teeth so that they are less susceptible to damage and decay.

Be mindful of how much sugar you eat. If your teeth feel fuzzy or just coated with particles, you will want to limit how much sugar is ingested. Plaque feeds off the sugar and it produces cavities from the acid formed.

Don’t abuse your teeth

Do not use your teeth as a tool. This can do so much damage. Having your teeth replaced or fixed with a cosmetic procedure is a great way to gain a beautiful smile, however these products and procedures are not invincible and are damaged if not taken care of properly.

Some additional things to add to your dental health is to brush and rinse after eating or drinking heavily colored foods to avoid stains on your teeth. If you are unable to brush you can rinse with mouthwash or even some water to help rid your mouth of the staining pigments. You can always add in a teeth whitening system into your routine to go a few shades whiter and brighter.

From there if you have the at home system, you can touch it up at anytime. Toothpastes with baking soda that boast of whitening your teeth should be avoided as they are abrasive on veneers and bonding.

If you have veneers, crowns, or bonded teeth, be careful when chewing. Things like ice and really hard foods should be chewed on teeth that are not veneers or crowns. The force may be too much for the teeth affected by those cosmetic procedures. You do not want to be excessively chewing all the time. Some classic foods to avoid are hard candies, popcorn kernels, and other foods that could chip your veneers.

If you need to, wear a night guard for when you sleep. This is to help people who grind or clench their teeth. Clenching and grinding can be hard on restorative or cosmetic procedures. Some people damage their teeth that have had veneers, bonding or crowns put on them.

Botox can help with mouth and jaw function

If you are suffering from TMJ you may want to consider having Botox injections in the jaw to help with the muscle contraction. This is an excellent way to bring relief to all sources of muscles that cause headaches or migraines. Botox is not just for vanity measures, it is also for the relief of pain. The results will have you coming back for it time and again.

The very best way to take care of your teeth is having regular yearly check ups with your dentist. This helps you troubleshoot any potential issues and take preventative measures to keeping your mouth and smile looking bright and healthy. At The Tooth Doctor we want you to keep as many teeth as possible for as long as possible for as cheap as possible. We know how expensive and painful it can get not having your teeth checked routinely. This is why we start with the young making a visit to the dentist a normal part of life.

Free before three program

We offer a free before three program for this reason. It is important to start good oral habits early. Much of the decay that children’s teeth have is preventable with the right education on the parent’s part on proper diet and dental hygiene habits.

Once your child has their first tooth, it is time to see the dentist, unless it is way before they turn one year old. There is no charge for these appointments. It is to just get used to seeing the dentist and to feel comfortable having their teeth looked at. Often the children sit right in the lap of their parent for this appointment.

We have three locations to serve Edmonton and area families. No one should be without proper dental care. Every facility has state of the art equipment to meet the needs of our patients. If for some reason, we cannot help you with your dental needs we will refer you to a specialist. Our goal is to have every patient leave with a smile.

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Appointments are always fun but professional with a happy team in place to meet our clients’ needs. We go the extra mile in preventing future problems with our clients’ dental health because in our eyes the golden rule applies. That is how we want to be treated too. Our patients are our family.