7 Ways to Improve Your Smile

A smile, is it not one of the first characteristics you notice about someone you just met? A smile is an inviting gesture into a person’s feelings and thoughts. Teeth provide a plethora of functions that contribute to your quality of life. Some of those essential functions include chewing, speech articulation, and facial dimension.

Our goal at Urbana Dental Smiles is to help our patients achieve a beautiful, healthy smile through continuous education and stellar dental services. Here are some professional tips to help you achieve that goal!

1. Our top priority is to make sure you have a healthy mouth. The first course of action is to detect any active disease or abnormalities. Your dental providers complete a series of screenings to review your overall health- this includes reviewing medical history, blood pressure screening, oral cancer screening, dental radiographs, periodontal (gum) measurements, hard tissue (teeth) examination, and assessment of jaw/teeth alignment. This data allows your dental providers to create a personalized course of action that will facilitate long-lasting dental health just for you, which will improve your quality of life! Regular dental checkups are necessary to catch any underlying issues, maintain healthy oral care, and educate you on how to care for your teeth properly. You can easily make your dental appointments by calling (937) 653-5359 or by scheduling online.
   
   
2. How many diseases have specific tools that help you to prevent it from occurring? It is vital to brush your teeth twice daily for two minutes each time. Whether you’re running late in the morning or too tired at night, it is easy to neglect proper oral hygiene habits. Brushing helps eliminate the food and plaque that collects around your teeth. Additionally, it decreases the number of harmful bacteria that can contribute to oral diseases. We recommend a soft-bristled electric toothbrush.
   
   
3. When is the last time you flossed? It’s no joke, flossing is essential to oral health. Plaque, bacteria, and food can get stuck in between the teeth where your toothbrush bristles cannot reach. Brushing alone will not remove all of those harmful substances that can cause cavities, bone loss, and infection - so flossing daily is an essential daily ritual to maintain. Waterpiks are an excellent option for those with braces, bridges, or periodontal pocketing. It’s important to remember that Waterpiks do not substitute for conventional flossing, though use it in addition to your regular oral care routine!
   
   
4. Smoking cessation. Not only does smoking significantly affect your overall health, but it plays a vital role in your oral health as well. Smoking decreases the size of the blood vessels in your mouth. The blood supplies nutrients to the teeth, gums, and bone around the teeth. Blood also delivers important defense mechanisms to areas of infection. Decreased blood flow leads to slower healing and inadequate immune response to harmful bacteria. The bacteria that cause gum disease accumulate faster and in more significant numbers with smokers compared to non-smokers. These factors increase smoker’s risk for periodontal disease, which causes bone loss around the teeth and gum recession.
   
   
5. Teeth whitening: it requires continual maintenance. There are various whitening products that your dental provider can discuss with you. First, it is important to ask if you are even a candidate for whitening. Remember, pigmented foods/drinks, such as coffee, red meat, tea, and wine, cause significant staining. Rinsing with water after consuming those items reduces staining. Biannual dental cleanings remove stains as well!
   
   
6. Lip care. As summer approaches, check your chapstick to make sure it contains SPF. The lips receive a lot of sunlight, which can cause tissue damage. Certain ingredients in chapstick help with cell regeneration, moisturization, lip firming, and healing. Look at the ingredient list for Shea butter, aloe vera, beeswax, green tea extract, and vitamin E!
   
   
7. Dental Cosmetic Treatments
   We also offer several cosmetic treatments to help improve your smile. Click on the services listed below for additional information.

• Teeth Whitening
• Alignment
• Veneers
• Dental Implants

 
Follow us on social media for more tips to a healthier smile or schedule a consultation with our dentists today!