Dental Resolutions 2022

Well, 2021 has come and gone, and can we just say “good riddance?!” Here is to 2022 being a better year and to you being your best self. It’s no secret the ongoing pandemic has caused us all to put off or neglect things we should really take care of soon. If you’re aiming for better dental health on your New Year’s list, here are some tips to help you get started. Read on below for our top dental resolutions 2022.

Track Your Hydration

Did you know that the majority of Americans are chronically dehydrated? That’s right, most of us don’t drink enough water each day, and that can have an impact on many aspects of our health. Dental health is also impacted by dehydration. Saliva is your natural defense against the harmful bacteria in your mouth that causes cavities. Anytime you’re dehydrated, your ability to produce enough saliva is affected. If you’re constantly dehydrated, this can cause long term issues and foster increased cavity growth. 

While there is no universal measurement of how much water you should drink every day, there are a few ways you’ll know you’re adequately hydrated. Urine that is light in color indicates you’re well-hydrated, and you shouldn’t feel thirsty very often throughout the day. Fatigue can also be a sign of hydration, so keep that in mind. A good plan for 2022 is to drink out of a bottle where you can measure its contents. Then document how much you drink per day. When you feel well hydrated after drinking “x” amount of bottles, then you’ll know your target water intake per day.

Beware Of Teeth Grinding

It was pretty easy to get stressed in 2021, and we all hope there is less of that in 2022! But there is a condition that many people ignore where stress is a contributing factor. This is unconscious teeth grinding, and you can be doing it while you sleep and not even know. We just covered the full subject in Teeth Grinding At Night - How To Stop This Bad Habit, and this condition can take a real toll on the health of your teeth if left untreated. Treatment starts with consciously relaxing your jaw and holding your tongue in a forward position at the back of your teeth. This takes the pressure off and reduces the likelihood of teeth grinding without even knowing it. So keep your jaw relaxed to start 2022! If you’re worried you can’t stop the habit, we have more substantial treatments that can help.

Eat Dessert First!

As children, we were all taught that you can’t have any dessert until you finish your meal. But if your teeth have any say in the matter, they would say eat your dessert first! There is scientific backing to this theory as well. Let’s say you decide to have that gooey chocolate chip cookie before your meal. All the sugar and chocolate will get stuck to your teeth, which accelerates bacteria growth and cavities. But if you have that cookie and then eat vegetables with your dinner, your chewing will remove most of those sugary particles from your teeth, reducing potential cavity growth. Who knew eating dessert first was the best option! Just remember, moderation when eating sweets is still important.

Healthy Teeth? Consider Whitening Treatments

The best way to start 2022 is to hear your dentist say your teeth are healthy and you’re cavity free! If you’re in this position, there is a resolution you can make to help those healthy teeth really shine! In office whitening treatments can yield unbelievable results, and you can get it done quickly after your next in-office checkup. Better yet, this luminance will outlast any over the counter treatments where whitening treatments can fade afterward. 

Dental Resolutions 2022 - Focus On You!

In today’s world, it is pretty easy to get distracted by current events. We hope everyone can take a step back and focus on their health and happiness to start the year. If you’ve been putting off those dental checkups, we can get you back on track with judgment-free care from our expert staff. Or if you’re ready to reinforce dental care habits to ensure that pesky cavity never shows up, we can help with that as well. We’re always ready to speak about what’s next for our patients.

Contact our friendly staff today! Happy New Year from Grace & Leedy Family Dentistry!