After the festive season, many of us will put on our self-improvement caps to make changes for the New Year.
Although these changes can be invigorating, some may bring unwelcome and unpleasant consequences!
The following top tips will ensure you have a confident smile throughout 2017:
Drink more water
New Year hangover? Increased consumption of alcohol and the get-up-and go hangover coffees often result in oral dehydration. Without sufficient saliva, the mouth becomes rife with plaque bacteria, which produce Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSCs) that cause bad breath. Dentists recommend drinking six to eight glasses of water a day and switching to decaffeinated drinks to keep the mouth hydrated and smelling fresh.
Go to bed early
Due to excessive December fun and January blues, an early night could be just the boost you need. Pencil your bedtime goal into your diary or phone calendar and try to stick to it. Just because sleeping isn’t active, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan for it. Your smile will definitely be thankful for the extra shut-eye!
Create new oral care habits
The New Year is a great time to cement in some new habits and move towards a goal of a healthier mouth and fresher breath. Add flossing or interdental brushing to your routine and if you really want to be sure to eliminate VSCs from all areas of your mouth, a tongue scraper might help do the trick.
Diet with care
Attempts to get back into those jeans that ‘fitted before Christmas’ result in many commencing diets such as ‘the 5:2’ or high protein regimes. However, few consider the effects that such plans can have on our breath. Perhaps less drastic lifestyle changes are in order this New Year? Dentists recommend following a healthy diet and never skipping a meal, especially breakfast, as bad breath can build overnight.
Comparethetreatment.com member and dentist Dr Mervyn Druian, from the London Centre for Cosmetic Dentistry, comments: ‘Make sure to plan in some extra time into your busy lifestyles to ensure your teeth are looked after. I see many patients worried about their breath after the busy party season, I always advise getting into a good routine, and often earlier bed times mean people give themselves more time to brush and rinse!’
• These top tips were compiled by experts at UltraDEX. Its Daily Oral Rinse and the UltraDex Low-Abrasion toothpaste used twice a day can form part of your daily health and beauty regime to keep your breath fresh!
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