Remember!

One of the most difficult parts of improving your habits is the "habit" part of it!  Habits take time to create.  When it comes to your mouth, good home-care habits are essential for good oral health.  Only seeing your dentist or dental hygienist a handful of times per year can help have a healthy mouth, but it's the things you do on a daily basis that have the most long-term impact.  Especially now that we have a new year to begin good things, make good oral cleaning habits part of your new year.  If you find yourself forgetting your mouth's needs frequently, make a renewed effort to remind yourself of the importance of brushing and flossing every day.  Many of us struggle with remembering something new when our lives are already full, but making sure we take care of ourselves is something we can afford to change.  A couple of ideas to remember are to put your toothbrush on your pillow.  Brushing at night is very important, (see other posts).  Another good way to remember is to write a sticky note that has your new and improved bedtime routine.  After a few days of remembering, the habit can stick.