Beautiful smile

At Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo, we want all our patients to protect their teeth. Accidents will always happen, of course, but some common-sense rules will go a long way toward protecting your smile!

Avoid the following:

1. Chewing on hard foods

We’re looking at you Bone-in ribs and hard candy.

2. Chewing on hard objects

This includes fingernails, pencils, pen caps, and ice.

3. Grinding your teeth

If you grind your teeth, counsel with your dentist. An appliance can protect your smile.

4. Eating too much sticky food

Gummy candy, dried fruit, and even protein bars can crack teeth.

5. Drinking anything besides water frequently

If your teeth are bathed in soda (sugared or diet), juice, coffee, or sports drinks consistently, you are asking for dental issues.

6. Playing sports without a mouthguard

Sports pose a major risk of tooth damage. Most little ones are required to wear a protective mouthguard on the playing field. But fewer adults wear mouthguards for recreational activities like mountain biking and skiing. Stock types are ready-made and rarely fit well. Custom-fitted mouthguards from your dentist are more comfortable than the cheap boil-and-bite type.

7. Using a hard-bristled toothbrush

A hard-bristled tooth brush can weaken teeth and cause gums to pull away. Remove food bits and plaque with a soft (or extra-soft) toothbrush.

8. Ignoring dry mouth

Saliva is important. Saliva rinses food fragments off of teeth and helps neutralize acids. It also helps clean the teeth of leftover food bits, helping to prevent plaque buildup. Constant dry mouth, or xerostomia, can lead to tooth decay. Talk to your dentist if you have dry mouth frequently.

9. Using teeth as tools

Take a minute to find a pair of scissors before you tear open a package of lunch meat or pry the lid of a medicine bottle. Use a nutcracker if you are eating unshelled nuts. A quality dental crown can cost over eight hundred dollars.

10. Ignoring bad breath

Bad breath is often linked to bacteria build-up in the mouth. It might be a symptom of accelerating tooth decay. Discuss it with us

11. Ignoring jaw pain

If you experience frequent jaw pain or notice a clicking sound, be sure to schedule an appointment with your dentist right away! These symptoms can be signs of a serious condition called temporomandibular disorder or TMD.

Have you already broken or chipped a tooth? We can repair it at Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo. Our services include family and cosmetic dentistry. Call to schedule an appointment with us today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-657-5633

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

The most common times people brush their teeth are morning and night, either before or after breakfast, after dinner, or at bedtime. But sometimes hiccups in the schedule can knock you off a well-established routine. At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, we have some thoughts on that.

Sometimes after dinner isn’t super cut and dried. An irregular schedule generally disrupts regular dental maintenance. What are you to do?

One suggestion is to try doing a better job at cleaning your teeth during the day. One of the best things you can do is rinse your mouth with water after you eat. It’s no substitute for brushing, of course, but will give your entire mouth a quick cleansing.

A quick brushing is good, too. An excellent trick is what we call dry brushing. That means brushing your teeth without toothpaste. Yes, it sounds a bit strange – but it’s effective, especially if you can use a little water, too. (We’ve heard of dentists who do it themselves.) It isn’t the way you would brush at home, but it’s going to clean the surfaces of your teeth – and that’s half the battle.

The other half of the battle is the stuff that gets between your teeth. A good solution here is carrying floss picks with you.

The most important time to brush is after eating sugar or carb-intensive foods. Otherwise, these foods kickstart bacteria growth on the teeth.

We know that life gets busy, but hiccups in your dental routine can damage your teeth if you aren’t careful. The best approach is to brush and floss before bed, and see us at Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo for a checkup every six months. Our services include family dentistry, and specialties like dental implants. Call for an appointment today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-657-5633

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604