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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – We would all love to have those perfect white teeth you see on the cover of magazines. Although you might not have the smile of your dreams, it is essential to maintain healthy teeth as long as possible. Many factors contribute to tooth decay in the diet of today’s average consumer. Here are five tips to help you counteract them and avoid dental problems.
Regular Check-ups
Like any other health issue, teeth problems can also be avoided if you pay regular visits to your dentist.
It is crucial to have a checkup every six months. Don’t skip it even if you are not suffering from any particular ailment and everything looks well on the outside. Many people go to the dentist when it’s already too late, and they just need to get rid of tooth pain. If you want to prevent any dental ailments, going to the dentist has to become a routine. Besides, at least one hygienization session is necessary for any adult each year, no matter how strong and healthy your teeth look.
Prevention is the key to healthy teeth, and only a dentist can indicate the right dental care program for your needs.
Eat Healthy Foods
Most common teeth problems are caused or worsened by bad nutrition. You might feel at ease with what you eat, but your dental health can be damaged by certain foods. Unfortunately, those are precisely the ones that give us the greatest pleasure: pastries, candy, and chocolate.
Everybody knows that when it comes to our oral health, sugar is our greatest enemy. Nevertheless, it is hard to give up this terrific energy and mood booster. It’s, therefore, reasonable just to ask you to limit consumption and try to wash your teeth after a sugary snack. Otherwise, you risk getting cavities.
Doctors have other recommendations as well:
Ø A balanced diet: include fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and cereals in your alimentation.
Ø Regular brushing: after each meal. It’s not enough to do it once in the morning and once before bedtime. We should wash our teeth after each snack.
Be Careful What You Drink
Many patients tend to ignore the devastating effects of certain drinks on the tooth enamel. You might eat healthy foods and wash your teeth after each meal, but it is all wasted if you drink sugary beverages throughout the day. Besides the fact that they add a lot of calories to your diet, they also harm the teeth enamel.
This is the outer layer of our teeth that protects them from decaying. It acts as an obstacle to plaque and acid, but it is not invincible, so you need to protect it. Sweetened and acidic drinks harm this surface. They create lactic acid in combination with the bacteria in the mouth, and this compound weakens the teeth and leads to decay.
Doctor’s advice: always brush after drinks like soda, beer, or any natural juice that contains sugar.
Don’t ignore the basic oral hygiene rules
No matter what age you are or how healthy your teeth might seem, oral hygiene is essential.
Ø Brushing is required several times a day. There is a huge variety of toothbrushes on the market. Choosing the right one must be confusing. Your dentist should advise you on this and indicate the most suitable toothbrush especially if you have sensitive teeth. The general recommendation is to choose one with softer bristles, but then again, it depends on each case. Another important thing is to brush correctly: in small circular movements, not up and down style. Brush the teeth slowly and thoroughly. It should usually take you several minutes.
Ø Use dental floss. Many angles can’t be reached while brushing. Those areas of the teeth also need to be cleaned. This is why it is useful to use dental floss on a daily basis. It efficiently cleans the portions between the teeth.
Ø Regular professional hygienization is also recommended. Every adult should have a hygienization treatment at least one a year. This includes:
– Scaling: it aims to remove the tartar.
– Whitening: it uses various substances to whiten the outer layer of the tooth.
– Fluoridation: a fluorine compound is applied on the teeth to strengthen it.
– Sandblasting: it uses water’s pressure to clean the teeth and remove all deposits.
Try to give up bad habits
Ø Smoking: this is a habit you should give up for the sake of your overall health, let alone the fact that it yellows the teeth and gives a bad breath sensation.
Ø Using your teeth to open bottles: don’t force your teeth for purposes they shouldn’t serve, it will make them weaker and cause scratches to the tooth surface.
Ø Crunching: if you’re used to crunching the ice left in your drink or popcorn kernels, stop immediately. This habit can lead to teeth fracture.
It might seem a little bit hard to start applying all these suggestions at once. If you are not used to a strict oral health routine, take it step by step. Start by brushing your teeth after every snack, then include the dental floss and finally, try to give up unhealthy drinks and sugary food.
Huizar is a passionate health writer , and a University of Colorado graduate. Ethel writes for healthrow.net original health articles related to health problems and concerns. Her aim is to inform people on the number of ways nature and science can help them lead healthier lives.
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