Published: May 29, 2007 04:04 pm      

Resolve to have a healthier smile

Somerset — Have you resolved to take better care of your teeth this year, but you’re just not sure where to begin?

We went straight to an expert — local dentist Shea Cheuvront — to find out what New Year’s resolutions he’d like to see his patients make.

Resolution #1:

Brush, brush, floss.

Brush, brush, floss.

“Brushing and flossing are still the most important things for you to do for your teeth,” Dr. Cheuvront says.

Brush your teeth morning and night, and floss once a day.

“It’s also good to brush after meals and after eating sweets to neutralize acids,” Dr. Cheuvront says.

And don’t skimp when you brush.

“Most people just do a quick brush, but you need to brush for at least two minutes,” Dr. Cheuvront says.

Use a soft bristled brush, and be sure to get all the surfaces of your teeth.

Resolution #2:

An ounce of

prevention...

Make it a point to get regular dental checkups — every six months, or at least once a year.

“With all the new technology that is available today, we’re able to catch problems much earlier,” Dr. Cheuvront says.

A timely checkup could mean a smaller filling, or the early detection of a problem such as oral cancer, reducing the need for more in-depth — and more expensive — treatments later.

Resolution #3:

Guzzle — don’t graze.

If you’re going to drink soft drinks (as so many of us do), it’s better for your teeth if you finish the drink in one sitting instead of sipping on it over the course of a few hours.

“It’s not the amount of sugar; it’s the amount of exposures to sugar,” Dr. Cheuvront explains.

Don’t bathe your teeth in the sugars and acids contained in most soft drinks, ice teas, and sports drinks.

Dr. Cheuvront says repetitive exposure to soft drinks is one of the main causes of “interproximal decay” — or decay in between teeth.

Try to brush your teeth or rinse your mouth with water after drinking soft drinks.

Resolution #4:

This won’t hurt a bit.

Dr. Cheuvront cringes at common negative expressions such as, “I’d rather have a root canal.”

“Many people who are 50 and over who haven’t been to the dentist in a while don’t realize all the advances that have been made over the past several years,” Dr. Cheuvront says.

“There is much less pain involved — and sometimes it’s not painful at all.”

Today’s technologies, devices, and anesthetics make visits to the dentist’s office much more pleasant.

“Somerset is lucky,” Dr. Cheuvront adds.

“For a small area, we have great specialists and general dentists across the board, all of whom work together well.”

Resolution #5:

Give your child a reason to smile... at the dentist.

“Children should have their first dental appointment by the age of three,” Dr. Cheuvront says.

A child’s first visit to the dentist usually involves no more than a fluoride treatment and an introduction to the office.

“It’s a new environment for them, but it doesn’t have to be scary,” Dr. Cheuvront says.

“Our office is pretty laid back. We try to keep it that way.”

And, as mentioned before, it helps when parents do their part to make a child’s trip to the dentist’s office positive.

“It’s best if children don’t have negative energy going into the experience,” Dr. Cheuvront says.

“If adults had bad experiences with dentists as children, they don’t need to pass those negative experiences to their children. Parents need to remember that technology has advanced since they were children.” n