Top 10 Tips For Healthy Teeth

BRUSH TWICE DAILY

Dentists always recommend to brush twice daily. But have you ever wondered why?

Remember, Plaque develops continuously! Leftover food in the mouth mixes with bacteria to form plaque. The filmy, sticky substance coats your tooth enamel and gums.
Although the development of plaque is a continual natural occurrence, it can cause great damage to your teeth. As plaque adheres to your teeth and gums, it places bacterial acid in direct contact with them. The bacteria within the plaque feast on the food particles in the mixture. As the microbes feed, they digest the food and release acid as a by-product. Since the acid is released adjacent to the tooth enamel, plaque can be highly damaging.

Just as acid is corrosive to most other substances, it also eats away teeth enamel, resulting in tooth decay. The longer the acid remains in place, the greater is your chance of needing a dental appointment to fill a cavity. Brushing twice-daily removes plaque before it can damage your precious teeth.

Brushing twice-daily also helps prevent tartar buildup.

Tartar is actually plaque that has calcified on the teeth. The hardening process that converts plaque into tartar takes about a day to complete. However, the conversion only takes place if plaque remains undisturbed. While plaque is still soft, it can easily be brushed and flossed away. However, once it hardens, it remains in place until it is scraped away at your next dental cleaning. When you brush twice a day, plaque can be removed before it hardens and converts into plaque.

Why does this matter? Tartar not only makes your teeth look less attractive due to its yellow hue, but it also harbors additional plaque and oral bacteria to further compromise your oral health.Although tartar may look completely solid, it is actually quite porous. It becomes a great hiding place for the substances that wreak havoc on your teeth.

USE FLUORIDE TOOTHPASTE

Fluoride is absorbed into the enamel and helps to repair it by replenishing the lost calcium and phosphorous required to keep your teeth hard. This process is caused remineralization. When fluoride is present during remineralization, the minerals deposited into the tooth enamel help strengthen your teeth and prevent dissolution during the next demineralization phase. Thus, fluoride helps stop the decay process and prevent tooth decay.

BRUSH THOUROUGHLY

You should spend at least 2- 3 minutes on brushing. Take your time, moving the toothbrush in gentle, circular motions to remove plaque. Unremoved plaque can harden, leading to calculus buildup and gingivitis (early gum disease). You should preferably brush after breakfast and before bedtime.

FLOSS YOUR TEETH DAILY

Flossing helps clean in-between the teeth. When you don’t floss, you’re at risk for two major dental issues in your mouth: Gingivitis and cavities between your teeth.

Without flossing, you are not able to remove dental plaque buildup. According to Clinical Microbiology Reviews, there are over 1,000 bacteria in dental plaque. These bacteria can irritate the gum tissue, causing it to become red and inflamed and bleed easily, which breeds more bacteria and causes gingivitis to occur.

Another risk of not flossing is that cavities are more likely to form between your teeth. The same dental plaque that causes gingivitis can lead to the growth of harmful bacteria that will destroy the enamel between your teeth, consequently forming a cavity.

LIMIT SUGARY AND ACIDIC FOOD

Bacteria in your mouth use sugar from food and drinks to produce acids that dissolve and damage the teeth. These acids cause cavities(tooth decay).  Frequent snacking on foods high in sugar increases the amount of time your teeth are exposed to the dissolving effects of various acids. The most common source of liquid sugar is sugary soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks and juices. In addition to sugar, these drinks have high levels of acids that can cause tooth decay.

AVOID STICKY FOODS

“Sticky foods” are those that provide long-lasting sources of sugar, such as hard candies, breath mints and lollipops. These are also linked to tooth decay. Because you retain these foods in your mouth for longer, their sugars are gradually released. This gives the harmful bacteria in your mouth plenty of time to digest the sugar and produce more acid.The end result is prolonged periods of demineralization and shortened periods of remineralization.

Even processed, starchy foods such as potato chips, tortilla chips and flavored crackers may linger in your mouth and cause cavities

PROTECT YOUR TEETH FROM INJURY

Sports guard is a device worn over your teeth that protects them from blows to the face / head. Mouth guards are an important piece of athletic equipment for anyone participating in a sport that involves falls or body contact. This includes football, basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, skateboarding, gymnastics, mountain biking — any activity that might result in an injury to the mouth.
Mouth guards typically cover the upper teeth, and are designed to protect against broken teeth, cut lips and other damage to your mouth.

AVOID USING YOUR TEETH FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN CHEWING FOOD.

If you use them to crack nuts, remove bottle tops or rip open packaging, you risk chipping or even breaking your teeth.

DRINK MORE WATER

Water helps you in keeping your mouth clean and fights dry mouth. Water washes away leftover food and residue that cavity-causing bacteria are looking for. It also dilutes the acids produced by the bacteria in your mouth.

Saliva is your mouth is first line of defense against tooth decay. It washes away leftover food, helps you swallow with ease and keeps your teeth strong by washing them with calcium, phosphate and fluoride.When your saliva supply runs low, dry mouth may put you at risk for tooth decay. Drinking water can help cut this risk.

VISIT YOUR DENTIST IN EVERY SIX MONTHS

Your own everyday habits are crucial to your overall oral health. Still, even the most dutiful brushers and flosses need to see a dentist regularly. At minimum, you should see your dentist for cleanings and checkups twice a year. Remember, a stich in time saves nine.

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