5 New Year’s Dental Health Resolutions

toothbrush task force

New Year’s is the perfect time to commit to losing weight, exercising more or quitting smoking. And, since most New Year’s resolutions are health-related, it’s also a great opportunity to improve your dental health.

Research shows that people who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t.

So, this year, we want to do more than help you save on your dental care with alternatives to dental insurance. We’ve got 5 dental health resolutions from WebMD and our DentalPlans.com moms that will help keep your teeth healthy and your smile bright all year long:

  1. More Flossing: Two of our Toothbrush Task Force moms, Nirit and Melissa, have committed to flossing more in the New Year. Nirit, a mother of two boys, says her dental resolution is to make sure that she also helps them floss every night. “If an investment of less than 2 minutes every night can lower my boys’ risk of having to endure unpleasant dentist appointments, I think I should be able to commit to it.”
  2. Less Sweets: DentalPlans.com enrollment specialist, Risa, plans to limit sweets in her and her two daughters’ diets. Her dental health resolution is to substitute sugary snacks for healthy ones. If you do indulge every once in a while, remember to chew sugarless gum with Xylitol after – this increases saliva production, and helps shed your teeth of leftover sugars from the candy.
  3. Use Mouthwash: A daily rinse of mouthwash goes a long way. According to WebMD, mouthwash does more than freshen your breath – it kills germs and bacteria, removes plaque, and helps prevent tooth decay.
  4. Get Back to the Dentist: Even though Nicole, the broker-affiliate group manager at DentalPlans.com, visits the dentist 2 to 3 times a year, her husband does not. Her dental resolution is to get her husband back to the dentist, and bring her 3-year-old son for his first checkup.
  5. Say Yes to Fluoride: If you don’t use a toothpaste that contains fluoride, it’s time to switch toothpastes. Resolving to use fluoride-containing toothpaste can prevent cavities and save you from an expensive visit to the dentist.

If your resolution is to get back to the dentist or save on your dental care in 2012, DentalPlans.com provides you with access to savings from 10% to 60% on most dental care procedures. Join today and ring in the New Year with dental care savings!

What is your dental-related New Year’s resolution? Share with us in the comments below.