Have you made your resolutions yet for the new year? If not, how about some dental new year resolutions? Our Laredo TX dental office is here to help oversee your dental care and guide you along the way. That comes with regular dental cleanings and exams and giving you the latest dental tips.

Today we want to share 5 oral health tips that can help you improve your dental health this year.

Maintain regular cleanings and exams. Maintaining your oral exams is a great way for us to monitor your teeth and gums. We’ll check for tooth development in children, and in our adult patients, we monitor the function and health of your teeth. We recommend that you visit our office every six months for cleanings and exams.

During the cleanings, we’ll remove any plaque and bacteria buildup to make it harder for cavities to develop. The regular exam is also a great time to for us to take digital X-rays of the teeth to check for small cavities or root issues.

Consider fluoride treatments. If you don’t have access to regular fluoride treatment, you can ask our office about fluoride treatment. Fluoride treatments are known to reduce the risk of tooth decay and even repair tiny cavities. Most municipalities around the country add fluoride in the drinking water. Texas does not have a fluoride mandate, but about 80 percent of our population has access to fluoridated drinking water.

Consider how you’re sleeping. Sleep is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of our lives. It’s the time when our minds and bodies reboot. Being a restless sleeper, loud snorer, waking up gasping for air … all of these are problems that can be associated with sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a disorder that can be life-threatening if left untreated. A patient with sleep apnea has an increased risk of serious medical problems like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. The gold standard for sleep apnea treatment is the CPAP machine, which continuously pushes air into the lungs. But maybe patients often find the CPAP hard to use, and their bed partners find it inconvenient as well. That’s why our office uses an oral device to treat sleep apnea. The device moves the lower jaw forward to keep the airways open during sleep. This treatment is ideal for patients struggling with obstructive sleep apnea.

If you have problems sleeping or find yourself waking up still exhausted, come see us for a consultation. We’ll set up a sleep test and find the root of your problems!

Don’t ignore pain or bleeding gums. We can’t tell you how many times dental patients have made their issues worse by ignoring pain. Your teeth and gums shouldn’t hurt. Period. A tender tooth can have a cavity or possible root problem, while bleeding or swollen gums are the first sign of a serious problem known as gum disease. Gum disease is the number cause of tooth loss in adults. This problem also rubs elbows with some dangerous overall health problems like heart disease and diabetes. While there has been no cause-and-effect discovery between gum disease and these issues, we know that each of these problems deals with plaque buildup and inflammation.

Look at what you’re eating and drinking. This is probably the most common new year’s resolution: eat healthier foods. Our office never grows tired of reminding patients that the foods they eat affect teeth. Foods high in sugar, carbohydrates, or acidity can take a mighty toll on your teeth. Drinking water or eating foods like apples can flush out food debris from the mouth, decreasing the risk of tooth decay. Foods like cheese can also reduce the acid levels in the mouth.

If you have questions about your diet or oral health, contact our office to schedule an in-depth consultation.