Nearly 74% of Canadians have seen a dentist in the past year. While that percentage may seem encouraging at first, it also means there are millions of Canadians who haven’t seen a dentist recently. Visiting the dentist regularly is not just good for your oral health, it’s good for your overall health, which is why dentists encourage patients to book an appointment every 6 months or so. Here we’ll share some ways to keep your teeth healthy between visits.
- Only 37.5% of Canadians brush twice a day and floss once. If you’re not consistently looking after your teeth and gums, it’s even more important to see your dentist regularly. So, make sure you’re brushing in the morning and at night.
- Say awe. It’s also recommended that you clean or scrape your tongue daily with your toothbrush or a tongue scraper.
- Another way to keep your mouth healthy is by eating a well-balanced diet. Try to limit or avoid foods and beverages that are high in sugars and carbohydrates. Tip: Sip water throughout the day not juice or pop.
- Avoid smoking and vaping altogether. Smoking can cause a myriad of health problems, including oral cancer. The risk of developing oral cancer is 5 to 10 times greater among smokers.
- What’s great is that 80% of Canadians have a dentist. We just need you to visit them more often, and not neglect their teeth. If you don’t have a dentist, visit the Canadian Dental Association for help finding one near you.
Because, as you know, dentists do so much more than just look after your teeth, they can help with gum disease, keep bad habits in check, do head, neck, and lymph node checks, oral cancer detection, and so much more Like we said above, good oral health is a sign of good overall health.
Sources
statcan.gc.ca. “Dental Care, 2018,” September 2019.
odha.on.ca. “Oral Health and Overall Health,” 2016.
cda-adc.ca - “5 Steps to a Healthy Mouth,” 2019.
canada.ca. “Smoking and Oral Cancer,” September 2011.
cda-adc.ca - “The State of Oral Health in Canada,” March 2017.
123dentist.com. “Six Reasons You Need Regular Dental Checkups,” January 2018.