Dental Implants News, Colorado Springs: 10 Smile-Preserving Changes You Could Make Today, PART 1

This four-part article series explains 10 changes anyone can make to their daily routine, lifestyle and habits that can help to extend the life and beautiful appearance of their teeth and gums.

Your teeth are more than just tools for eating; a healthy smile is what makes you YOU! Unfortunately, as is most often the case, you don’t truly appreciate what you have until you lose it, which is why Colorado Springs dentists urge patients to take good lifelong care of their teeth. You don’t want to have to lose one or more of your pearly whites to appreciate just what a difference good oral health makes to your smile.

And so, in this four-part article series, we will be exploring the small changes we could make to our routine, lifestyle and habits today. These changes, while small, could help to ensure that we keep our teeth and gums in the best possible condition for life.

Let’s get started!

Small Changes for Bigger Smiles # 1: Brush Your Teeth for a Little Longer

“Most Colorado Springs residents only brush their teeth for a total of 35 seconds per day, when in fact you should brush your teeth for a full two minutes at a time,” say dental implants dentists. “The logic here is simple. The longer you brush your teeth for, the more plaque, food debris and bacteria you will remove, which won’t only help to keep your breath fresher for longer, but will also keep cavities at bay. Even if you find yourself pressed for time, try to brush your teeth for at least 30 seconds longer than you usually do. It could make a world of difference.”

Small Changes for Bigger Smiles # 2: Brush Your Tongue

“Stick your tongue out and have a good look at its surface. It’s very textured and full of small cracks and crannies where opportunistic oral bacteria can hide out. It is therefore just as important to give your tongue a good brush as it is to brush your teeth thoroughly,” say Colorado Springs dentists. “You can either make use of your toothbrush or invest in a specialized tongue scraper. Both will remove the bacteria and food that accumulate on the surface of your tongue throughout the day. This will improve your breath considerably and prevent oral bacteria from gaining a foothold in your mouth!”

Small Changes for Bigger Smiles # 3: Go for a Professional Cleaning

Pick up the phone, give your dentist’s office a call and book yourself in for a professional teeth cleaning with your oral hygienist. Even Colorado Springs residents with the most rigorous of home oral hygiene habits will require the far more thorough services of a hygienist at least once per year. Plaque, if left in place for too long, eventually solidifies to become what we call tartar.

While brushing and flossing can remove plaque from your teeth and gums, tartar needs to be scraped off using professional dental tools, because it’s a lot like cement. Tartar causes cavities, gingivitis, gum disease and eventually the need for dental implants. So, if you haven’t seen your oral hygienist in more than a year, it’s time to pick up the phone.

Stay Tuned for Part 2

To read more about the small changes you could make today - changes that could keep your smile beautiful and youthful for much longer – stay tuned for the second installment of this four-part article series.