3 Tips To Help You Maintain Healthy Teeth and Gums

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If you take good care of your teeth, your teeth will take good care of you. This is why it’s important to brush your teeth properly, see the dentist in St. Louis, MO regularly, and maintain good oral hygiene. Your teeth can last a lifetime, if you establish good oral hygiene habits and stick to them. In this article, we’ll discuss three things that can help you care for your teeth.

When you come for your next dental checkup, we can give you more personalized tips. Ask us about how you can take care of your teeth.

1. Brush the Right Way!

It’s not enough to brush your teeth. It’s important to brush your teeth properly and follow advice from experts. For example:

  • Brush for two minutes every time. Time yourself to ensure that you’re brushing long enough.
  • Change your toothbrush every three months. If you own an electric toothbrush, you can replace the bristles and keep the electric base.
  • Choose soft bristle toothbrushes to protect your gums and tooth enamel.
  • When you’re brushing, don’t push too hard. Brushing too hard can cause gum recession and tooth enamel wear.
  • Demonstrate how you brush your teeth to your dentist. Ask for tips to brush better!

Finally, if you’re using a manual toothbrush, consider switching to an electric toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes are better for eliminating plaque and preventing tartar buildup.

2. Visit The Dentist Every Six Months

See your dentist twice annually. Your dentist can help keep your teeth clean and healthy.

3. Stay Hydrated

Hydration helps produce saliva. Saliva helps keep your teeth clean!

Want more tips? Talk to your dentist during your dental checkup in St. Louis, MO. Call Smile Now STL to make your next dental appointment.

Foods to Avoid for Optimal Dental Health

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Foods can be great for our teeth! From providing nutrients to strengthening our enamel, several foods benefit our oral health. However, while some foods are beneficial, other foods can be harmful.

In this post, we’ll discuss some foods to avoid for optimal dental health.

Sticky Foods

While they may be tasty, sticky foods can be a nightmare for your teeth. This even includes healthy foods like dried fruit. Unfortunately, these foods easily stick to your teeth and can stay there for long periods, which isn’t healthy for your enamel.

Need a dental checkup? Have a toothache that won’t go away? Call Smile Now STL today! We’re happy to offer trusted general dental care in St. Louis, MO.

Starchy Foods

Starchy food items, like potato chips, are another common food that can harm your teeth and gums. That’s because starch tends to get trapped between your teeth, leading to a buildup of bacteria. If you choose to eat starchy foods, make sure you’re flossing regularly to remove any trapped food particles.

Ice

While not technically a food, it’s still something people chew on often. Unfortunately, this habit is unhealthy for our teeth. When you chew ice, it’s very possible to crack a tooth or wear down your enamel. Frequent ice chewing can lead to serious problems down the line.

Citrus

Other healthy foods you may want to limit include oranges, lemons, limes, and other citrus fruits. Although they’re tasty and nutritious, they’re also highly acidic, which isn’t good for our teeth. Consider cutting back if you consume these fruits on a daily basis.

Hard and Chewy Candies

Avoiding candy should be a no-brainer when it comes to your dental health. These foods are loaded with sugar, which can wear down your enamel and make your teeth more prone to problems. While you should avoid most candy, hard and chewy candies are even worse.

Avoiding the foods above can keep your teeth healthy for many years to come! To learn more about this topic, contact Smile Now STL today! We have the leading dentist in St. Louis, MO.

Woman Smiling in Dental Office

Three Top Reasons to Choose a General Dentistry Practice

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While every dentist is dedicated to helping patients achieve a confident, happy smile, there is much more to competent dentistry than appearance. If you want your smile to be genuine and lasting, you will want to choose your dentist based on experience and expertise in all facets of dentistry, including basic tooth care and oral health, restorative procedures, and cosmetic dentistry.

We Focus on Basic Tooth Care

At Smiles for Sharing in St. Louis, Mo., Dr. Tom O’Connor and our team are “old school professionals” who concentrate on caring for your teeth and gums, addressing problems when necessary, and using modern techniques to restore or improve function and appearance when warranted. From regular tooth examinations, cleaning, and fillings to extractions, implants, and advanced restorative techniques, including whitening or gum and tooth contouring, our practice is dedicated to assessing your needs and listening to your desires.

We Have Experience Dealing with Complex Oral Health Issues

Boasting more than 45 years of experience, our team specializes in advanced dental care for complex needs. Our patients trust us to deal with the negative effects of tooth loss, decay, misaligned teeth, and the wide variety of other dental problems that cause both visual and functional issues.

We Focus on Cosmetic Improvement

Cosmetic dental enhancement is a major component of our service. We strive to provide quality aesthetic appeal, whether we fill cavities with white tooth-colored resin or install implants to replace missing teeth or crowns. If teeth are severely discolored but healthy, we offer effective cosmetic whitening services.

Our comprehensive, personalized services are grounded on in-house 3D imaging, Cone Beam CT, and patient-specific anatomical reconstruction and image fusion that map a patient’s dental implant surgery and achieve lasting results. Why settle for less than the best?

Schedule an Appointment

Our desire at Smiles for Sharing is to ensure that you can face the present and the future with confidence and the knowledge that you have the best possible smile that can be achieved through modern dentistry. Contact us now to arrange a consultation with a member of our team.