Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and if you have a special someone, you’ll want to be prepared.
Buying a valentine, or making your own, for your loved one/s is a great place to start, as is stocking up on teddy bears and dark chocolates (the most dental-friendly Valentine’s Day candy!).
But don’t forget to get your mouth ready too. If Cupid’s arrow hits you, you want to go in for a kiss with confidence!
Cleaning your teeth is a good first step towards fresh breath. Brushing, flossing, and scraping your tongue help. However, these steps alone do not ensure good breath.
Unremoved plaque can turn into tartar and become the perfect environment for bacteria to hide and cause bad smells.
At True Dental Care Preston, our services such as professional teeth cleaning keep your teeth plaque-free and healthy, fighting bad breath before it even begins.
Professional Cleaning at True Dental Care Preston
Whiten those teeth! Whitening your teeth is one sure way to make your mouth more attractive and kissable. A brighter smile makes a person more attractive.
True Dental Care Preston’s teeth whitening treatments can give you whiter teeth and a more dazzling smile! With Philips Zoom! Whitening, you can have a celebrity-worthy smile in less than an hour!
Philips Zoom! Whitening at True Dental Care Preston
Soft, hydrated lips. The human body is mainly composed of water, and we need a great deal of it to remain hydrated and healthy.
If you want soft, kissable lips this Valentine’s Day, make it a priority to consume a lot of water, and cut back on dehydrating, sugary liquids, like coffee, soda, tea, juice, and alcohol.
Beyond just making your lips soft and kissable, drinking lots of water increases your saliva flow, which protects your teeth from sugar, acids, and bacteria.
Drinking water also fights dry mouth and similar oral health problems that can make your breath smell bad.
Brush your teeth! This one’s pretty obvious, but it’s the most important thing you can do – brush your teeth! This is also a great time to either buy a new toothbrush or invest in a decent electric one.
While giving your teeth a good brush, don’t forget your tongue! Sometimes there are really smelly bacteria there that can cause bad breath.
One study found that by brushing the tongue, volunteers reduced their perception of bad breath by 70%!
Chew crunchy, healthy foods. By chomping on crunchy snacks – such as apples or carrots – you remove food caught between your teeth, thus removing bacteria that builds between them.
It’s this bacteria build-up that causes teeth to feel furry when running your tongue across them. Munching on crispy foods is similar to brushing your teeth.
Chew sugarless gum with Xylitol. Chewing sugar-free gum assists in removing bacteria in the mouth by increasing the production of saliva Xylitol is antibacterial; therefore, it helps to fight cavities and bacteria in addition to improving your oral health.
Keep to a meal schedule and don’t ‘graze’ on snacks. Give your mouth time to break down the small food particles in your mouth.
If you’re going on a Valentine’s date, follow these steps to make sure your breath stays fresh, and your mouth stays kissable:
On the Day
- Brush and floss your teeth, and be sure to scrape your tongue.
- Floss again before dinner to remove any stray bits of food between teeth.
- Use a mouthwash or rinse just before going out.
During Dinner
- Avoid foods with a strong odour.
- Eat crunchy foods. Their high moisture content can remove foods caught between your teeth and remove bacteria that feed on these trapped foods.
- Drink lots of water.
- If you left your mints at home, eat your garnish. Many garnishes neutralise smell-causing sulphides.
- Stay away from chocolate cake and choose a dessert full of berries, oranges or apples, which help cleanse your breath.
- Instead of coffee, sip tea.
After Dinner
- Chew gum with xylitol to freshen breath and stimulate saliva flow.
- Treat your upset stomach, particularly if you have acid reflux.
Here’s a short video “Tips for the Perfect Valentine’s Day Smile from your Preston Dentist”:
Dental Health in Preston
True Dental Care Preston was founded on a passion for beautiful, healthy smiles.
Our team is composed of Australian trained dentists, nurses, and a prosthetist.
We offer general dentistry, implants and cosmetic dentistry, and emergency services. These services are given in our advanced facility with highly trained staff and cutting-edge technology.
You can find us near the corner of Donovan St and Bell St, a convenient 25 meters from the Bell Train Station! Our convenient offices are on the ground floor.
Call (03) 9131 5952 or visit us at 358 Bell St in Preston.
