With warmer weather here and summer not far behind, we tend to become more active. Dusting off the winter cobwebs, we will get outside more and take part in more activities. That’s what makes now a perfect time to think about how to protect your smile.

The experts at Smile Design Dental are always available if you have a question about smile care. In almost 25 years of dental practice, Dr. Petrosino has helped many Newburgh-area residents enjoy healthier, more beautiful smiles. And she can do the same for you. Call us today at 845-670-5423 to schedule your dental visit. You’ll be glad you did!

Below, we highlight a few key ways you can keep your smile in good shape during these months of warmer weather.

Keep Up With Your Routine Checkups

To keep your smile healthy and bright, Dr. Petrosino recommends that you visit us every six months for a regular dental exam and cleaning.

These routine visits will help us keep an eye on your oral health and catch any problems early before they have a chance to harm your smile. Our dental hygienist will take X-rays and look over your teeth and gums for any signs of oral cancer, cavities, or gum disease.

Then we will thoroughly clean and polish each of your teeth. Your cleaning will remove bacteria, plaque, and tartar that have built up on your teeth, leaving your smile clean and bright. You’ll have that fresh-mouth feeling that you can only get at the dentist!

Then Dr. Petrosino will perform a complete dental exam, paying special attention to suspect areas that our hygienist has noted. If you need any additional dental work or preventive care to keep your smile healthy, we will present you with a treatment plan and answer any questions you have about your care. Treatments needed could include fluoride application or gum disease treatment.

Brush & Floss Regularly

It’s hard to underestimate the value of good oral hygiene. Regular brushing and flossing will go a long way toward keeping your teeth clean and your smile bright. Along with regular checkups, your daily smile care routine will form the cornerstone of your oral health.

We recommend buying a soft-bristle toothbrush. While you may think you need a toothbrush with hard bristles to get your teeth clean, in actuality, stiffer brushes can cause damage to your sensitive gum tissue and over time can even cause your gums to recede.

With a proper brushing technique, soft bristles will clean your teeth as well as harder bristles, but without any risk to your gums. Also, be sure to use a brush with the proper size head to fit your mouth. A brush head that’s too large or too small will make it more difficult to get your teeth clean.

Dental experts recommend that you brush for two minutes, twice a day. You may want to use a stopwatch or timer so you can get a feel for how long two minutes is.

As for flossing, once daily is recommended. Wrap the floss around the middle finger on both hands, leaving an inch or two of floss to work with. Next, slide the floss up and down each of your teeth and curve it around the base of each tooth and below the gumline. Use upward strokes to remove any debris between your teeth.

Good brushing and flossing habits will help keep your teeth and smile their healthiest and most attractive – not to mention helping you avoid additional dental work and inconvenience!

Avoid Dental Damage With a Custom Mouthguard

Did you know that athletes who don’t wear mouth protection are 60 times more likely to suffer dental damage than those who do? Why risk your precious smile when you don’t have to?

Of course, we know that mouthguards should be worn for sports like football, hockey, and basketball. However, mouth protection is also important for any kind of sports involving flying balls or objects, a chance of coming in contact with other players, or when there is frequent change of direction. A well-made mouthguard will evenly distribute the forces of biting that can occur during sports or rigorous activities.

Visit Smile Design Dental and Dr. Petrosino can fit you with a custom athletic mouthguard. Our professionally made appliances will fit better, last longer, and provide more protection than ones you can buy in the store – for example, so-called “boil and bite” mouthguards.

If you or your child wear orthodontics, it is especially important to have a top-quality mouthguard. Mouth protection will not only help you avoid damage to your teeth, a custom mouthguard can help prevent damage to your orthodontic hardware – damage that could involve added expense and hassle.

Keep your smile intact with a professional mouthguard from Smile Design Dental!

Keep Yourself Well-Hydrated

During these warmer months, it is crucial to keep your body hydrated. Not only is adequate water necessary for total body health, your oral health depends on it, too.

The act of drinking water helps wash away food particles and debris that may be stuck to your teeth. Left in place, these particles can create a haven for bacteria to form, eventually causing cavities and gum disease if not removed. Drinking water is a great way to help keep your mouth clean and free from problems.

In addition, municipal water supplies are generally fluoridated, meaning that fluoride has been added to it. Fluoride is an important element in keeping your teeth enamel strong. It actually helps remineralize your teeth, preventing cavities and even reversing early-stage tooth decay.

Besides just drinking a glass of water, you can increase your water intake by eating fruits and vegetables that are water-rich. Strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, celery, iceberg lettuce, and green peppers are just a few healthy foods that help you get more water into your body.

You may want to invest in a good quality water bottle or container to help you increase your water intake. Having a dedicated water bottle will help you remember to drink more water regularly.

If you have any questions about how to protect your smile, or if you need to schedule an appointment, call the team at Smile Design Dental today at 845-670-5423!