As a local dentist, we take our job seriously because we know how important your oral health is for your future. If you have healthy and strong teeth, they may remain in place for the rest of your life. This is the ideal option as opposed to replacing your teeth with dentures, a bridge, or implants. While we can certainly provide you with these things, it is best if you never need them. To accomplish this goal, you need to take care of your teeth on a daily basis. A few of the most important things you need to do are brushing and flossing daily and visiting our office for bi-annual teeth cleanings and exams. Still, there are some funny oral health tips you may not expect to actually help you. These include:

• Chewing gum. You may not think about chewing gum as a way to improve oral health. However, if the gum is sugar-free and contains Xylitol, it can actually help reduce the likelihood of you developing cavities. This is by no means an endorsement of bubblegum. If gum has sugar in it, you must avoid it to prevent placing more sugar on your teeth. Read the label, look for Xylitol, and chew away. You can even give this to your children.
• Yes, Popeye was right — chewing your spinach does make you stronger. It may or may not give you muscles that pop, but it will strengthen your teeth. This is because it has the ability to remineralize your teeth. When you eat healthy foods like green and crunchy vegetables, nuts, dairy products, and lean protein, you can strengthen your teeth by undoing some of the damage that happens when you drink soda, eat candy, or simply get older. Remineralization is key to healthy and strong teeth that have the ability to fight decay.
• Your medicine makes you look older. This may seem like a stretch, but if you take antibiotics or other medications on a regular basis, you are probably yellowing your teeth. As your teeth become yellow and stained, you are naturally going to appear older than you actually may be. This means you could be in a situation where doing something good for you, like taking doctor-prescribed medication, has a negative side effect. The good news is that we can whiten your teeth in our dentist office and reverse it.

As a dentist, we have many ways we can improve your health. These are only a few of the lesser known tips for you to consider, and when you visit us, we can go through the rest of them, including the need to drink more water and the benefits of a fluoride treatment. Our goal is to keep you healthy so you can enjoy a beautiful smile for years to come. If you have not been to our office recently, it is time to do so. Call today and schedule your dental exam and teeth cleaning, and we will find a time that works for your schedule.