Tips and Tricks to Develop Good Dental Habits

The researchers from Duke university state that habits take 40% of our behavior during the day. Having good dental habits will positively impact not only your overall health but happiness and quality of life in general. Besides regular teeth cleaning and taking enough vitamins and minerals, there are many other natural ways to make your teeth healthy.  Despite their simplicity, not every person can say that they are a part of everyday routine. Usually, establishing good dental habits requires time and effort. Knowing how to develop a useful habit will help you achieve your purpose quicker and easier.

7 Steps on Developing Useful Dental Habit

Some specialists state that gaining a new habit takes up to 21 days, while others are sure that this process requires more time. The truth is that everything depends on a particular person and taking the right steps. If you follow the right steps to developing a new habit, you will notice how easy it is to develop new dental habits and incorporate them into everyday life:  

1. Make a decision

Think once again about a new dental habit and its importance. Realize that you will act in a new way and that your routine will change as well.  Make a decision and be sure about it for 100% not to give up when the first difficulties appear. For example, if you need to get up earlier to prepare a well-balanced breakfast containing products that will make your teeth shine like a diamond, you need to get up just after an alarm clock goes off. Do not let yourself sleep further and postpone cooking useful dishes till the next day – act immediately.

2. Give no exception

You need to keep to new rules strictly and do not let yourself escape when it is difficult to follow the decision. For instance, if you decide to use the best way to clean your teeth, then do it properly even if you have not enough time, mood or some other circumstances make you off the hook. Discipline yourself, never allow exceptions especially at the very beginning of developing good dental habits. Once you find the reason to compromise the process, the risk of failure in the long run increases.

3. Share new habits with other people

Tell your friends and relatives about the decision to gain new good dental habits. You will see how determined and disciplined you will become when you know that other people are watching you. They will see whether you can follow through your own resolution or not. You wouldn’t like to lose your face and will do your best to achieve the desired purpose.

4. Visualize a new dental habit

Try to imagine how you are flossing teeth or performing any other oral hygiene recommendation. Think about it as if you have already had this habit. The quicker your subconscious mind accepts it, the quicker it will become more automatic.

5. Create an affirmation

Think of some affirmation and practice saying it regularly. As a result, you will boost the speed of developing a new dental habit. For instance, you can say “I get up at 6 o’clock and prepare tasty and healthy breakfast”. Soon you will wake up a few minutes earlier and read new recipes of useful dishes to keep your teeth healthy. You may even not notice when these rules begin to work, but they definitely will.

6. Persist in developing a new habit

Do not stop working at your habit until it becomes automatic and you do not need to make yourself do it every time. You achieve your purpose when it is a regular part of your daily routine at last.

7. Reward yourself

Give yourself a reward when you see progress. Soon, you will start to associate your good dental habits with success at the unconscious level and, hence, will be more eager to follow new rules.  

The Final Thoughts

Before incorporating any dental habits in your daily routine, it is better to consult with an experienced dentist not to harm your oral health. Specialists of Gallegos Family Dentistry will be happy to answer all your questions and give recommendations on good dental habits. 

It is important to check the state of your dental health before taking any measures. If you are anxious about having a dental check-up, be sure the specialists of this clinic know how to help you overcome all available worries with the help of conscious sedation dentistry. Feel free to get in touch with a dentist and get assistance on any necessary issue.