By Tyne
It seems I frequently write about my frugal parents; you’ve already heard about their Happy Cow and gardening endeavors in order to eat and shop healthy on a budget. But these aren’t the only frugal tales they’ve inspired me to tell.
You see, my dad’s a dentist, and when my mom suggested him as a source for tips to control your spending by taking care of your teeth now - well, I thought that was a dandy idea. So I asked him about the best ways people can save more money on their teeth over time. They might seem obvious, but if you don’t take these actions now, you could end up spending a lot in the long run.
1. Get techy with brushing: Of course, brushing is key, and it’s more tech savvy and efficient than ever because of electric toothbrushes. Dad’s a fan of Sonicare brushes, which you can find at Walmart and Kohls.
You don’t have to buy the most expensive one; as long as it’s a rechargeable toothbrush, it’ll get the job done. This might sound like the most obvious tip, but it’s crucial: if you don’t brush regularly, you could get cavities or gum disease, which will cost a lot more to take care of down the road than buying an electric toothbrush.
2. Watch what goes into your body: Mainly sugar, since it helps cause cavities. We were all told as kids that you shouldn’t eat too much candy, but really, you have to watch out for anything with lots of sugar in it, especially soft drinks.
The ideal solution is to not drink soft drinks at all, but my dad knows this isn’t realistic for a lot of people. Therefore, if you’re going to ingest something with a lot of sugar, you should brush your teeth right before or right after so the sugar doesn’t have time to settle on your teeth.
Also, if you’re going to have a soft drink, coffee with sugar, etc., don’t sip on it all day (oops..). You’re better off drinking it in a short amount of time than slowly adding more sugar to your teeth throughout the entire day. Of course, it’d be ideal if you brushed afterwards!
3. Schedule regular, preventive visits: Even though they cost money, going to your regular cleaning appointments is crucial. The hygienists and dentists can check, clean, and fix problems when they really aren’t much of a problem at all. If you wait, those tiny problems will only turn into bigger, pricier problems. So save yourself some major poking, prodding and dollars and schedule an appointment to get your teeth cleaned.
Since your smile’s covered:
Put the money you save by taking care of your teeth toward something you care about! You could build an emergency fund, save money for travel, or maybe snag a new camera that’ll show off those pearly whites. ;)
Do you have frugal parents who have provided you with new ways to save money? Let us know!
