Most people are familiar with the golden rules of oral health: brush twice daily, floss once a day, avoid too much sugar, and schedule routine dental cleanings and exams at our Plainfield, IN office at least twice a year. If you’re doing these things, you should be on track for a healthy smile.

What you probably aren’t familiar with, however, are the many other ways you can maintain healthy teeth. Today, we’re sharing some of those unusual ways in our blog! See if there’s anything on the list you already do.

Say No To Diet Soda, And Yes To Water

Do you know what a common use for phosphoric acid is? It’s used to remove rust. Do you know where to find phosphoric acid? Oh, you know… the usual places: your local hardware store, the gardening section of the superstores where fertilizers are kept, and your refrigerator.

Yes, that’s right. Your refrigerator. We already know that soft drinks contain a shocking amount of sugar. The presumption is, then, that diet soda might be the better choice for your health because it doesn’t have all that sugar in it. But the truth is, diet soda is just as bad as regular soda. That’s because it contains phosphoric acid, which is used to balance out the sweet taste of soda with its own tangier flavor.

So while you might be doing yourself a favor on the cavity prevention front by opting for a sugarless diet soda, you’re actually still choosing a drink with an acid so powerful it can remove rust. If it can do that, imagine what it does to your tooth enamel. Over time, the acid will wear and weaken your enamel and leave you more vulnerable to all sorts of dental problems.

The best drink, by far, is water. Water is not only the best way to keep your body properly hydrated, but it helps encourage saliva production and keeps your gums and teeth moist. This makes it much harder for harmful bacteria, sugars, dark pigments, and acids to wear out their welcome in your mouth.

Snack On Crunchy Fruits & Veggies

Have you ever wondered why apples are often referred to as nature’s toothbrush? It’s because they are a hard food, but not so hard that they damage your teeth. Instead, their crunchy texture helps clean your teeth naturally. The chewing involved also promotes saliva production, which we mentioned earlier. So when it comes to snacking, chomp on foods that offer a healthy crunch like apples, carrots, and celery.

Whitening Toothpaste? Don’t Buy It

Advertising is a powerful tool, and when it comes to dental products, it’s hard not to fall for the promises you see on the packaging. Toothpastes are especially alluring because they promise to whiten your teeth. Who wouldn’t want a toothpaste that claims to give you a bright, sparkling smile with no effort. After all, you’re going to be brushing your teeth everyday anyway, so why not?

The ugly truth is that whitening toothpastes and other OTC products aren’t able to contain prescription strength bleaching agents like you’d find in professional teeth whitening treatments in our Plainfield office. So they have to make up for it using ingredients that eat away at your enamel in order to remove the stains on your teeth. This will do much more harm than good in the long run. For dramatic results that are also safe, call our office and schedule a professional treatment with Dr. Eccles.

Soak Up Some Sunshine

The vitamin D your body creates just from stepping out into the sunshine isn’t only beneficial to your bones. It actually helps strengthen your teeth, as well. Increase your body’s vitamin D, and your teeth will be stronger and healthier. You can also include more milk and dairy products in your daily diet to encourage vitamin D absorption. Check out the nature-friendly section in your local drugstore and choose a vitamin D supplement for added support.

Schedule Your Routine Dental Checkup!

Following these tips are great, but nothing is quite as beneficial for your oral health than visiting our Plainfield, IN dental office for routine checkups! Give us a call today at 317-682-0884 or fill out our convenient online form to schedule your next appointment.