{"id":193,"date":"2020-01-14T05:53:39","date_gmt":"2020-01-14T05:53:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcknightdental.com\/blog\/?p=193"},"modified":"2020-01-27T05:54:25","modified_gmt":"2020-01-27T05:54:25","slug":"practical-easy-dental-habits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcknightdental.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/practical-easy-dental-habits\/","title":{"rendered":"Practical and Easy Habits for a Happy, Healthy Smile"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcknightdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/AdobeStock_65912995__1580104207_97997-300x170.jpg\" alt=\"Smiling man practicing good dental habits\" class=\"wp-image-194\" width=\"308\" height=\"175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcknightdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/AdobeStock_65912995__1580104207_97997-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mcknightdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/AdobeStock_65912995__1580104207_97997-768x435.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mcknightdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/AdobeStock_65912995__1580104207_97997.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 308px) 100vw, 308px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know that taking great care of your teeth won\u2019t just\ngive you a nice smile, but it can improve your overall health too? Research\nshows that maintaining your oral health reduces your chances of conditions like\nheart disease, oral cancer, and Alzheimer\u2019s disease. Plus, having a set of\npearly whites you can\u2019t wait to show off means that you\u2019ll naturally start to\nsmile more, which boosts your confidence, your appearance, and the mood of\nthose around you! The best part is that it\u2019s easy to take care of your oral\nhealth! Here are some easy and practical habits for a happy, healthy smile!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Avoid Sugary Snacks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve made healthy habits in the past, this probably\nsounds familiar. Sugar causes the natural bacteria in your mouth to produce\nharmful acids that eventually lead to tooth decay and gum disease. To help your\noral health and your waistline, make a habit of switching out your favorite\nsugary snacks with healthier ones. Smile-friendly foods like fish, cheese,\nyogurt, and broccoli are great choices because they have vitamins and minerals\nthat strengthen your teeth and keep your gums healthy.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Brush Your Teeth Correctly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you brush your teeth often but don\u2019t brush them correctly,\nyou might be doing more harm than good. Over-aggressive brushing, toothbrushes\nwith hard bristles, and highly abrasive toothpastes all scrub away at your\nenamel, causing your teeth to become weaker and more sensitive. Make sure your\ndental habits are keeping you healthy by only using soft-bristled toothbrushes\nand gentle toothpastes approved by the American Dental Association. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Start Flossing Regularly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Dentists estimate that even proper brushing techniques only\nremove 60% of the plaque from your mouth. The other 40% are hidden in places\nthat toothbrush bristles can\u2019t reach, like between your teeth or underneath\nyour gumline. Flossing is the only way to clean out those areas, and making it\na habit is the key to keeping cavities and gum disease at bay. Try keeping your\nfloss somewhere you can see it every time you brush your teeth, like on top of\nyour toothpaste, so you don\u2019t forget to use it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">See Your Dentist Twice a Year<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if your teeth look and feel fine, you still need to see\nyour dentist for regular <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcknightdental.com\/dental-checkups-and-cleanings.html\">dental\ncleanings and checkups<\/a> every six months. Your dentist is able to identify\nissues that you may not see or feel yet and begin treatment before they can\ncause you any discomfort. Getting a professional cleaning twice a year also\nkeeps your smile shining bright, since your dentist can polish off any light\nsurface stains or tough tarter that\u2019s built up on your teeth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking care of your teeth is essential to a healthy body and\na beautiful smile. If you incorporate these easy tips into your daily routine,\nyou can enjoy all the benefits of a happy, healthy smile for many years to\ncome!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Dr. Byron McKnight is a preventive, restorative, and\ncosmetic dentist in Mesquite, TX. He has logged over 2,500 hours of continuing\neducation in a range of advanced dental topics, and was awarded the Lifetime\nAchievement Award from the Academy of General Dentistry in 2009. Although he\nuses a variety of advanced dental technologies and services, he understands the\nvalue of simple, great dental habits in improving the smiles and lives of his\npatients. If you\u2019d like to know more, he can be contacted at his <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcknightdental.com\/contact-us.html\"><em>website<\/em><\/a><em> or\nat <strong>(972) 698-8000. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did you know that taking great care of your teeth won\u2019t just give you a nice smile, but it can improve your overall health too? Research shows that maintaining your oral health reduces your chances of conditions like heart disease, oral cancer, and Alzheimer\u2019s disease. Plus, having a set of pearly whites you can\u2019t wait [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Happy Healthy Smile Dental Habits Mesquite | Dr. Byron McKnight<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you taking care of your oral health? 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