At Tarheel Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we provide our patients with the dental services they need no matter what phase of their dental health journey they are in. Whether you need routine preventative care, cosmetic dentistry options for aesthetic concerns, or advanced treatment options for complex dental concerns, Dr. Cook is here to help you. In our Chapel Hill, NC dental office, there is rarely a dental concern that we cannot treat all under one roof. Learn Dr. Cook ‘s best tips for improving and maintaining your dental health below.

Brush & Floss

While this may seem like an obvious tip, it is perhaps the most important one. Patients should brush and floss their teeth at least twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Brushing and flossing are your smiles main lines of defense against common dental concerns like tooth decay and gum disease. When you skip out on brushing or flossing, you are allowing food residues to remain on your dental structures for an extended amount of time. The longer these food residues remain on your teeth, the more likely they are to harden into plaque or tartar. Left untreated, the bacteria in plaque and tartar will begin to eat away at your healthy tissues and may require restorative dentistry solutions to correct. The best way to prevent yourself from needing extensive restorative dentistry work later on is to practice a strict at-home oral hygiene routine. Patients may also benefit from chewing sugar-free gum or rinsing their mouths out with water throughout the day to reduce the amount of food residue left behind on your smile after midday meals and snacks.

Consider Your Diet

Your dietary choices directly impact your dental health. Because your teeth are the first part of your body to come into contact with the foods and beverages you consume, you should consider making improvements to your diet to benefit your oral health and wellness. Remember that excessively crunchy, chewy, or gummy snacks are going to be more difficult to remove from the in-betweens of your teeth. Sugary snacks like soda and candy leave behind a film on your teeth that can cause discoloration and tooth decay development. When considering your diet, you may want to include more smile-friendly foods into your daily routines. We recommend snacks like fruit smoothies, pita bread with hummus, carrot sticks, apple slices, or mixed nuts. Not only are these snacks delicious but they also contain the essential vitamins and minerals that your teeth need to remain healthy and strong for many years to come.

Schedule Routine Dental Cleanings

Even patients with the most thorough at-home oral hygiene routines should see their dentist once every six months for routine preventative care. During your biannual dental appointments, your dentist will clean your teeth and get rid of any plaque or tartar buildup threatening your smile. Additionally, they will evaluate your smile for developing dental concerns and offer you a treatment plan as needed. These appointments are important because it allows you and your dentist to routinely discuss your dental health and allows our team to catch minor issues before they develop into complex dental concerns. If you are looking for a new dentist in Chapel Hill, NC, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Cook online. We look forward to welcoming you to our Chapel Hill dentist office.