Caring for an Elderly Parent With Special Dental Needs

5 Simple Dental Tips For College Students

30 December 2014

Joe Lawrence

When you go off to college, you'll have a lot on your plate. Not only are you spending a lot of time studying and going to classes, you're also in a new environment with a lot of distractions and things to do. No matter how much you have going on in your life once you get to college, you want to make sure you continue to take proper care of your teeth. You can avoid a lot of dental problems by using the tips below to care for your teeth while you're away at college:

Don't develop bad habits

Once you leave home and go off to college, it's very easy for you to develop bad habits and become lazy with your dental hygiene. However, it won't take long for your neglected teeth to start exhibiting signs of neglect. You want to be sure you continue brushing them twice a day, and floss and use mouthwash nightly.

Be prepared for anything

When you're in college, you never know when a friend will show up and sweep you away for the night. When this happens, you want to know you will be prepared to continue with good oral habits. This is why you should keep an overnight oral health kit in your bag or backpack. This way, when you grab your things, you'll already have everything you need to take care of your teeth right with you.

You should get a small case and put a travel-sized toothbrush, a travel-sized tube of toothpaste, a small mouthwash and a roll of dental floss in it. This case won't take up much room at all and will be a dental lifesaver on those nights when you end up staying gone longer than you meant to. If you have your own car, you can simply leave the case in your glove compartment.

You want to be sure you brush your teeth both in the morning and at night before you go to bed. However, do keep in mind that night time brushing is the most important since your saliva production is less when you sleep. This means not brushing before you go to sleep will allow the food you ate during the day to stay on your teeth, which will contribute to damaging build-up.

Watch what you eat

When you go away to college, it's easy to eat all the wrong foods. You can easily find yourself almost living on a diet of ice cream and soda, both of which contain a lot of sugar. You should make it a point to continue eating some healthy foods on a daily basis. You want to get in plenty of calcium, as well as some fruits and vegetables.

By making sure to care for your teeth properly once you go off to college, you'll know that your teeth will be in much better shape and stay healthier much longer. Ask dentists like those at Family First Dentistry LLC for more info.

Share