This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Neighbor News

How To Care For Your Teeth

Your teeth give your mouth support so that you can always sport a happy and healthy smile when you meet people

Your teeth give your mouth support so that you can always sport a happy and healthy smile when you meet people. Bad Oral hygiene and lack of dental care will affect your body and in turn, your confidence in the long run, not to mention that you will shell out a lot more in expensive treatments. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure and if you follow care tips from Kaizen Dental, you could enjoy healthy teeth for a long time.

Brush Twice Daily – The 2 Minute Rule

Brushing your teeth once in the morning and once before bedtime will keep the bacteria from building plaque and preventing tooth decay. Instruct your children on proper dental care basics as cavities can be bothersome in baby as well as permanent teeth. Dentists advise to spend at least 2 minutes daily for brushing your teeth so that all tooth surfaces are covered well.

Find out what's happening in Barnstable-Hyannisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Replace toothbrushes regularly

Using worn out toothbrushes will not be effective against removing food debris. If you notice that the bristles of your toothbrush look damaged, you know its past it’s time. Also, avoid brushing too soon after eating. A half hour delay is recommended to give you healthy teeth.

Find out what's happening in Barnstable-Hyannisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Use Fluoride

Fluoride helps to protect your tooth’s enamel and helps prevent cavity formation. Check that your toothpaste has sufficient fluoride for it to be effective against tooth decay. The recommended fluoride dosage should be between 1350 – 1500 ppm.

Floss, Floss, Floss

Even though you may brush daily, your toothbrush will not be able to get to the hard to reach areas where food debris can get stuck. A word of caution, be gentle when going below the gumline.

Brush Your Tongue

Your tongue comes into contact with all the food you eat daily. Ignoring cleaning your tongue is like encouraging the bacteria to stay in your mouth which later get transferred to your teeth. Making brushing your tongue a part of your daily dental care routine will help to keep bad breath at bay.

Avoid smoking

The nicotine present in cigarettes and other tobacco related products can stain your teeth, causing them to look yellow. You also have higher chances of getting oral cancer or gum disease. Smokers also suffer from bad breath. Staying away from tobacco is a great way to show your teeth you care about them.

Have a healthy diet

This includes avoiding fast food and sugary drinks. Sugars tend to give the bacteria in your mouth food to eat and slowly erode away at your tooth’s enamel as the bacteria break down the sugars to produce enamel eating acid. What you feed your body is also what you feed your teeth.

Seek professional Dental care

Dentists can inspect your mouth for signs of infections, cavities and tooth decay and a regular check up will help keep plaque at bay. The best care you can show your teeth is to get it inspected by a dental care provider every six months.

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?