You work eight hours or longer at least five days a week, and during those times, it’s hard to find many breaks. And you’re probably not spending a ton of that time thinking about your teeth. The good news is that you can do a few simple things throughout the day to clean your mouth — without running to the bathroom to brush and floss.

If you’re brushing twice a day and regularly using floss, you’re doing great things for your oral health and overall health. But there are a few things you can do throughout the day to improve your oral health.

Our Royal Oak MI dental office, North Oaks Dental, sits down with patients during their cleanings and exams to discuss best oral health practice. We also offer nutritional counseling during our cleanings and exams so patients can learn how foods, drinks, and other bad habits. Look at it this way: What puts into your mouth matters. It can either hurt your smile or help it. When you visit North Oaks Dental, you can expect expert care. Give us a call today at 248-712-1522.

Here are some healthy things you can do during the day to improve oral health. You can follow these tips at your work desk, work station, or the break room.

1. Drink plenty of water

Water is vital to our health. It keep us hydrated, which is great for our bodies, and also helps us maintain good saliva levels. Good saliva levels help us wash food debris from your mouth. We recommend that patients drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially after meals. Washing away the food debris reduces the risk of plaque buildup and tooth decay. Additionally, most public sources of drinking water contain fluoride, which is proven to reduce the risks of tooth decay and actually strengthen enamel.

2. Eat apples or crunch vegetables

Some fruits and vegetables high in acidity can actually damage our smile. These foods high in acid can damage the our enamel, and of course, some berries can stain our teeth. But most crunchy vegetables and fruit are healthy for your teeth. Foods like apples, pears, carrots, and celery produce healthy amounts of salvia. If you’re in the break room or need a snack, try a few of these.

3. Chew sugar-free gum

If you’re always chewing gum or do it to stop a bad habit like smoking, try to switch to sugar-free gum. This gum is helpful for many reasons. First off, it’s sugar-free, so you don’t have to worry about exposing your mouth to harmful bacteria whenever you’re chewing gum. In fact, chewing sugar-free gum will clean out food debris from your mouth.

These are just a few ways you can keep your smile bright and healthy throughout your day. These tips won’t take much time or money, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing you’re following best oral health practices.

We’d love to meet with you to discuss your dental needs. Give us a call today at 248-712-1522 to book a visit. Or use the online form to request a visit.