7 Ways to Make Your Mouth More Kissable on Valentine’s Day!
- Brush your teeth intentionally: Brushing is extremely important to your oral and overall health. Take 2 minutes twice a day to brush in gentle, small strokes at a 45-degree angle. This prevents the bristles from grinding away your enamel which is the top protective layer of your teeth.
- Know when to toss it: Your toothbrush only needs to stick around for about 3 months, or until the bristles show subtle signs of fraying. When they begin to fray, your brush won’t do its job properly and can leave your mouth feeling not fully fresh and clean. When you don’t replace your brush, bacteria gets reintroduced to your mouth and begins posing a bigger threat to your dental and heart health. Be attentive to how long you’ve had your brush, notice what condition it's in, and take action when it’s time for a new one.
- Use fluoride toothpaste: Fluoride, known as natures cavity fighter, is a mineral found in the earth's core. Brushing or using other dental products with fluoride helps rebuild eroded enamel.
- How to rinse: Contrary to common belief, you are not supposed to rinse your mouth with only water immediately after brushing. When you do this, you are taking all that wonderful fluoride and spitting it down the drain. Rinse with water before spitting the foamy left-over toothpaste out.This allows your teeth to absorb the fluoride while also rinsing.
- Valentine’s candy and braces: If you have braces avoid chewy and sticky candy. These almost always will get stuck in your brackets. The sugar reacts with the bacteria in your mouth creating a white film around the brackets. This substance is nearly impossible to clean at home and can cause extended acid attacks increasing your risk of cavities.
- Floss daily: While flossing may be the most tedious part of your dental routine it is also the most important. The bristles on your toothbrush are too wide to get all the gunky plaque from between your teeth. When you don’t floss, that plaque sits in-between your teeth and hardens. After it has adhered to your tooth it will then make its way down to the root which can cause gum disease. Beware if your gums start looking bright or if your teeth start looking longer, a sure sign of gum recession.
- Tongues are important: The bacteria that cause bad breath and plaque also lives on your tongue. Even after you have brushed your teeth, neglecting to brush your tongue leaves all that bacteria and plaque to attach onto your tooth roots and gums.
BONUS! 3 Amazing Ideas to Celebrating 2021 with Your Sweetie
Are you and your Valentine stuck in a basic routine? Here’s 3 sweet and simple ideas for a fabulous date night:
- Pretend it’s your first date, and kick things off with one of you knocking at the door! Take a long drive and enjoy a picnic. If the weather isn’t nice enough to sit outside, keep things toasty in the car. Pro Tip: pack a warm drink like tea, cocoa or coffee in a large thermos to share.
- Dinner for two! Order in from your favorite local restaurant or create an easy gourmet meal together at home. This can be as expensive or budget friendly as you like. Keep it cheap and spice things up with aromatic herb combos like garlic and rosemary or thyme, cloves and orange peel. Pro Tip: splurge on dessert.
- Game night! From board games to a simple deck of cards, the options are endless. Need something a bit more exciting? Play video games together. Pro Tip: winner gets to control the TV, and the looser makes dessert.
Remember to brush twice and floss once daily. Need some specific pointers? Call now for your a dental appointment (718) 763-0505!