Keeping your own teeth healthy is hard enough, but when you have a family to look after, things get even more complicated. After all, you can't be expected to supervise their dental hygiene habits every day! But even so, that doesn't mean that you can't have a hand in their oral health. Here's what you can do to boost your family's oral hygiene without saying a word about brushing or flossing.
Eat More Cheese
Cheese is delicious, and it can potentially be beneficial to the health of your teeth. Studies have discovered that cheese plays a role in protecting teeth from cavities. It seems to do so by reducing the amount of acid your mouth produces, among other things.
If you're responsible for your family's dinner, lunches, breakfast, or all of them, you can do this with ease. Adding cheese to your family's meals will help to protect their teeth, and you can even use low-fat varieties for a healthy choice.
Skip Sugar
Sugar is a problem for everyone, whether it be their hearts, waists, or teeth. Sugar is a strong culprit behind cavities, as the bacteria responsible for cavities thrive when feeding off of sugar. If you drink and eat enough of it every day, it's like a constant feast for the bacteria, allowing more of them to produce and more of your tooth to be damaged.
If you reduce the amount of sugar in your family's diet, you can help curb this problem. Try using alternative zero-calorie sweeteners, or switch one daily product in your home to a low or no-sugar variety. You can start out small and gradually work your way to a lower sugar lifestyle as your family adjusts to it. Your teeth will thank you!
Mixed Drinks
Finally, consider drinking more tap water. That's right: the fluoride in your water is most effective if you don't just rinse with it when brushing, but regularly have it brush past your teeth by drinking it.
If your family can tolerate it, encourage drinking more water. However, with fussy palates, many people don't like plain water. Consider using powdered mixes to add sugar-free flavoring to water that helps to improve the flavor while still giving you the helpful benefits of added fluoride exposure.
With these tips and regular visits to your local family dentist, you can help to boost your family's overall oral health and reduce the risk of cavities and other problems.
Share2 January 2019
Do you have a different doctor from your spouse? Does your child see a pediatrician? Most families have different medical health providers for different members of the family. This makes sense in most cases, but did you know that you can find a dentist who will treat every person in the family from a baby to a senior? I'm a manager or a family dentist, and in this blog you will learn why a family dentist is a great idea. I will tell you the many advantages of taking every family member to the same dentist, and I will give you tips of finding the right dental office for your family.