Good habits are important in many aspects of our lives. Good study habits are essential for the successful student. Good dietary and exercise habits lead to a healthier life. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that good dental care habits mean fewer oral health problems. Habits that promote good dental health include the following.

Understand the Oral Side Effects of Medications

Make a habit of understanding how medications can affect your oral health. This is particularly important for medications taken over a long period of time. One side effect of many drugs is that they reduce the amount of saliva produced in your mouth. Saliva is a natural form of protection against the microbes that cause tooth decay and gum problems.

Buy Dental Products with Fluoride

Check the labels of toothpastes and mouthwashes for fluoride. Our product selections are often the result of habit and if your usual toothpaste and mouthwash selections are low in fluoride content, then your buying habit will adversely affect your oral health in the long term. Fluoride is also a good way to counter the effects of "dry mouth."

Maintain a Healthy Diet and Limit Intake of Simple Sugars

Your choices made in the grocery store can lead to dietary deficiencies that result in poor oral health. Dietary deficiencies cause problems in a number of ways, from weakening the immune system to depriving the teeth and gums of nutrients essential to their health. Food particles on your teeth, especially simple sugars, stimulate bacterial growth which produce acids that cause tooth decay.

Brush and Floss After Each Meal

The reason for this is to remove food particles and especially plaque which forms on your teeth after eating food. Plaque is a film that is mostly composed of bacteria. It is this bacteria that causes tooth decay and gum disease. If you are only going to brush and floss twice daily, then make sure that one of these times is before going to bed at night. The mouth environment at night is especially conducive to bacterial growth.

Visit Your Dentist on a Regular Basis

Twice yearly is the recommendation for those with good dental health. However, your visits should be more frequent if you have problems such as dry mouth or have bridge work and crowns. Smokers are more prone to oral health problems and therefore should see their dentist on a more frequent basis.

Keep those pearly whites healthy. Call Active Insurance at 734-327-5970 for more information on Michigan dental insurance.