New Year’s Resolution: Better Flossing and Brushing Habits

New year’s resolutions are always tricky because many tend to fall short of their projected goals. A combination of a lack of commitment or motivation with a lack of time means many resolutions are crushed before they really even get going. However, we’re here to change that. Here are some reasons why your new year’s resolution should be to develop better flossing and brushing habits, and why you should stick to this one!

Long Term Benefits of Brushing

The best new year’s resolutions are the ones that you feel motivated to keep. Flossing and brushing should be one of those! Brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing at least once a day can do wonders for your oral health. Brushing your teeth is the best way to remove the bacteria plaques that coat them and to prevent them from hardening into tartar, which is much harder to remove. Toothpaste contains many important ions and minerals that promote healthy teeth and strong enamel, both of which delay the onset of gum disease or tooth decay. Strong enamel is critical in the protection of the softer tooth tissues underneath, and will also give your teeth a whiter shine. Daily brushing lets you maintain all these benefits for longer! Think about what you’re really sacrificing when deciding to save a few minutes of your time by not brushing you teeth one night.

Long Term Benefits of Flossing

Many Canadians tend to skive off flossing, seeing it as a supplementary activity to brushing. This is far from the truth! Flossing is an integral part of proper oral hygiene, and shouldn’t be brushed off to the side. Toothbrushes just aren’t able to cover all the surface area that bacteria can grow and fester on. The spaces between teeth can only be reached by floss. If left unattended, the bacteria that grow in these spaces can almost nullify all your hard work spent on brushing. Therefore, it’s crucial that you take the time to floss!

How Can I Stick to it?

As stated already, the hardest part of a new year’s resolution is making sure you see it through to the end. Brushing and flossing can be hard to get into the habit of doing if you aren’t already use to it. The best way to ensure that you don’t slack off is to incorporate it into your daily routine or schedule. Set a chunk of time in the morning and before bedtime that's dedicated to oral care. Schedule your other activities around it rather than the other way around. Once it's become routine, it's much easier to consistently brush and floss everyday.

Oral hygiene should be a constant endeavour, and you’ll be able to reap the rewards of proper brushing and flossing right away. If you’ve been slacking off lately, now’s the best time of the year to make a change. Centennial Smiles wishes all our clients a happy and healthy new years!