How To Build Daily Dental Habits That Actually Stick
The New Year is a great time to build new habits. Research shows that we are much more likely to stick with a resolution that we kick off after an important date.
One of the most common New Years resolutions people tend to make is to improve their diet, maybe lose some weight, and improve their fitness. While these are excellent intentions, we all know how challenging it can be to break old habits and build new ones. However, if we can create healthy routines in simple areas of our life, we may be more likely to stay on track with our bigger, more challenging goals. Therefore, we are looking at how keeping your teeth fit, can help build discipline towards achieving your other New Years resolutions, and can help create healthy patterns in your life.
Willpower works like a muscle
In the science of motivation, many authors compare our willpower and personal discipline to a muscle — meaning that we can exercise it, we can train and nourish it and that leads to growth. How many times have you had a hard, long day at work? Maybe you’ve had to make lots of difficult decisions, or you’ve been working to an impossible deadline. Then when it’s time to go home and make that healthy dinner you’d planned, you feel so depleted that you end up making a less than ideal diet choice of picking up takeaway? This kind of thing happens when our willpower is depleted.
So how does this relate to oral health? Well, the foundations of willpower and personal discipline start with the little things. Really important aspects of personal care like brushing your teeth correctly, drinking enough water, avoiding sugary snacks and a highly acidic diet are really a foundation that we can build upon to achieve our bigger resolutions.
Little things add up
Some parables we’ve all heard describe this idea really well; from little things, big things grow, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
All of these really mean the same thing and that is that the little things count, and to start with the simple things as a foundation to your health success. So this year take the time to get the basics right, to show your teeth that you care about them twice a day, and let that be a foundation to reach all of your goals for 2020. Two minutes is longer than most people think — we did the numbers on brushing time.
More help with healthy habits
Need extra help keeping your dental health and general health on track? Check out our articles Apps to Help Keep Your Smile (and Health) on Track!, 3 Easy tips for a fit mouth, and Top three tooth saving ‘HACKS’ for busy people.
If you would like to discuss your dental and oral health needs book a consultation with Dr Kate Amos or Dr Sam Rosehill at Ethical Dental on 6652 3185 or book online.
