'Dental Tips' Category Archive

Posted on Aug 11th, 2007

So you think you need harsh chemicals to fight gingivitis, bad breath or tooth plaque? Not so! Natural therapies for oral hygiene can boost your gum disease fighting power both inside and out. Let’s examine a few of the most popular natural therapies used today.

Herbal Natural Therapies for Oral Hygiene

Certain herbs have antibacterial properties and can aid in your oral hygiene routine as well as make your breath smell a little sweeter. Essential oils of almond, peppermint and spearmint, for example, may all be rubbed around the base of the gums as therapies for oral hygiene.

Tea tree oil has even more bacterial-fighting agents than the essential oils previously mentioned as therapies for oral hygiene. Adding a few drops of tea tree oil to your toothbrush during regular brushing will leave your gums feeling clean and invigorated.

Green tea has been credited for centuries as one of the best natural therapies for oral hygiene. The Chinese have long used green tea as an oral rinse for daily mouth care. Green tea contains powerful antioxidants that also help boost the immune system.

Vitamin Natural Therapies for Oral Hygiene

Vitamin C is known to boost your immune system, and can aid in fighting the growth of anaerobic bacteria that cause plaque on your teeth. Of all the therapies for oral hygiene, vitamin C therapy also helps fight off other illnesses such as colds and flues.

More Natural Therapies for Oral Hygiene

Ordinary baking soda is often accounted one of the best oral antibacterial substances out there. When brushing with baking soda, make sure the soda is thoroughly moistened, and that you aren’t pressing too hard on the brush. For extra cleansing power, rinse your toothbrush in food grade hydrogen peroxide before brushing.

Common Sense Natural Therapies For Oral Hygiene

  1. Brush after meals.
  2. Floss between teeth every day.
  3. Swish water between teeth to rinse food particles out, or better yet, use a water pick or oral irrigator designed for the job.
  4. Replace your toothbrush every six months, and consider getting the electric kind for efficient cleaning. Battery-powered toothbrushes are inexpensive and easy to find if you’re not ready to invest in a countertop solution.

While all of these natural therapies for oral hygiene are helpful in preventing gum disease, you should still see your dentist twice a year for a thorough oral check up.

Blake Kritzberg is editor of FavorIdeas. Stop by for continually-updated celebrity wedding news, remarkable beach wedding favors, exclusive hairstyling articles and gorgeous and unique wedding favors.

Posted on May 11th, 2007

First of all, to find a teeth whitening company on the internet you can use a search engine like Google, Yahoo! or MSN live search. But you will get thousands of results and hundreds of different companies. And the number one in Google doesn’t say it is the best company! So to find the best company you have to analyse every company you find on the internet.

Once you’ve found a company for white teeth (or wittere tanden), you can visit the website and take a closer look at the website.

When you’re on a website for witte tanden, you must ask yourself this main question: is this company reliable, and not a fake one?

Well here are a few tips to find out if a witte tanden company is real or not. First of all you need to search for contact information on the website. Do they have a visitors address, a phone number, a contact form. And is the phone number a business phone number and not a mobile cell phone number.

The next thing you need to do is to find out if it’s a real company. Search their website for a business registration number. Also you can email the website and ask some sort of question. If they respond very quickly and professional they might be a real company.

You must also take a look at their product prices. If they tell you they have a witte tanden product and it costs almost nothing compared to other websites you may get a so called ‘cat in a plastic bag’. So beware of that!

Also when other customers have complaints or maybe they like the product very much, they talk about products in internet forums and blogs and websites like that. So you can search in Google for the business or product name. And if can read the websites that have reviews or personal opinions about it.

But when you use these tips it might be that a company that doesn’t comply to one or more of these tips doesn’t always have to be a fake company, it can even be a really good company. And also these tips are not always a way to see if a company is a good company or not, and even if a company complies to all of these tips it can still be a fake company.

So I wish you very good luck with your search for witte tanden, white teeth.

The writer of this article is the owner of witte tanden. He has personal experience about witte tanden and has been in the witte tanden business for some time now. Cheers and… witte tanden.

Posted on Apr 27th, 2007

Do you realize how important a part of your body teeth are and how easily you can damage them? Are you one of these people how cannot stop eating sweets, chewing bubble gum and drinking soft drinks? If your answer is yes, can you guess what you are doing to your teeth? To keep your teeth in good condition, you have to take care of them. I guess you know that sweets, sugars, and artificial sweeteners have an awful effect on our teeth. Otherwise, if you can’t stop eating sweets, then you will have to brush your teeth more. The more sugar you consume, the more you should brush your teeth. If you don’t follow this advice, soon you’ll end up with tooth decay.

Now, you know what’s next. You will have to go to the dentist! I know you hate hearing the horrible sound of his gadgets. However, you will have no choice! Do you love to go to those six-month check-ups? Yeah, I’m sure you don’t, I’m just asking. All joking aside, tooth decay is a very serious problem and it leads to awful pain and tooth loss. It is a horrible ache and besides you will have to spend some serious money at the dentist. Can you afford a new filling right now? In addition, I guess you do not want to remember that horrifying drilling noise. If you are already feeling frightened of a visit to the dentist then get your toothbrush right now!

Actually, have you ever visited a dentist because of tooth decay? Most people are usually neglecting or simply ignoring problems with their teeth. When I was a child, I had been pretty careless with my precious teeth. I remember once when I was a child going to the dentist for a check-up. He discovered that I had six cavities. I had six cavities and it was awful. I remember it was not just me who was feeling terrible but my parents’ budget as well. I guess you know what happened then. I just don’t want all the drilling I experienced. I can even say it was a personal horror movie of mine.

Anyway, I am just trying to convince you of how important it is to take care of your teeth. It is proven that the best way to keep your teeth in good condition and to prevent tooth decay is always to keep them clean and brushed. I mean you don’t have to give them just a quick brush but you have to put some effort in the work. First, make sure you are using good toothpaste like Colgate or Crest. Regular brushing and flossing is the best way to fight tooth decay.

You have to brush your teeth at least two times a day for at least two minutes each time. In addition, as well as brushing you’ll have to floss once a day. At the end, it will be good if you take a daily fluoride rinse. These three steps are essential if you wish to prevent tooth decay. Then, you can consider stopping sweets, sugars, soft drinks, sugary chewing gums. These foods are usually very tempting but they lead to tooth decay for sure. If you need more information concerning tooth decay, get online or consult your dentist.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Tooth Decay. Visit our site for more helpful information about Tooth Decay and other similar topics.

Posted on Apr 14th, 2007

Have you been told that you grind your teeth while sleeping? You may not know it but your sleeping partner does. Bruxism is the dental term for tooth grinding. A lot of people grind, clench or tap their teeth together especially while asleep. Facial and jaw soreness, headache, pain, fractured teeth and abrasion can result from this bad habit.

What causes teeth grinding? According to dental experts, bruxism is an unconscious way of relieving stress. Studies show that ninety-eight percent of adults clench their teeth together as a reaction to their emotional distress. It has also been found that for some unexplained reasons women are four times more prone to exhibit symptoms of bruxism than men. Bruxism does not occur entirely as a result of some emotional disturbance, occasionally it may be caused by dental malocclusion. Malocclusion is a dental term that refers to teeth that do not fit together or are improperly positioned. In response to this abnormality, the body tries to grind the teeth into proper occlusion. However, tooth grinding can also cause malocclusion. It is said that we exert 25 to 50 pounds of force when we bite or chew our food. While grinding or clenching one’s teeth, a person can exert as much as 500 pounds of force. This is the reason why bruxism can cause so much harm to our oral health.

Here are some helpful questions to check if you are unconsciously practicing bruxism. If you answer yes to most of these questions then there is a big probability that you are a tooth grinder.

1. Is your jaw clenched right now? If so, try to relax it and keep your teeth slightly apart.
2. Do you wake up in the morning feeling soreness or tightness in your neck and jaw muscles?
3. Do you clench your jaw when you feel stressed?
4. Do you often find yourself massaging your face and jaw muscles because they feel tight or sore?
5. Are your teeth sensitive to both hot and cold?
6. Do you ever feel that your teeth are loose?
7. Does your jaw ever ache?

You can still help yourself minimize daytime clenching by trying these techniques:

1. Make a conscious effort to relax your face and jaw. If you suddenly feel that you are becoming tense, try to focus on loosening and stretching your facial muscles.
2. Take a walk or breathe deeply. These are some of the stress-relieving techniques that can keep you from clenching or grinding your teeth.
3. Caffeine and decongestants are stimulants that can make your muscles tense. Avoid these as much as possible.
4. Enroll yourself in a stress-reduction technique class so that you will be able to manage your stress effectively.
5. Before going to bed, try taking a hot bath or listen to soothing music so that you will be able to relax. Drinking a glass of warm milk will also be helpful.

Bruxism may not be relieved through self care alone especially if you are a night-time grinder. Professional help is advised especially if your bruxism is related to anxiety, work stress or emotional upset. A dental night guard made especially for you by your dentist will be helpful in protecting the surfaces of your teeth from abrasion caused by the effects of grinding.

Michael Russell Your Independent Dental guide

Posted on Apr 6th, 2007

Family dental care doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg if you know what you’re doing and take a few important steps.

An Ounce Of Prevention

#1. Taking your family to the dentist on a regular basis will save you money in the long term. How you ask? Because by getting regular cleanings, regular x-rays and taking care of minor cavities before they become major problems, you’ve prevented having to spend several hundred or even several thousands of dollars on more expensive procedures such as dentures, root canals, tooth extractions, medications (antibiotics and pain killers) and more.

#2. Take care of your teeth and make it mandatory that your family does the same.

This shouldn’t be that big of an issue, but you’d be surprised at how many people get the "lazy bug" and don’t put brushing and flossing after every meal on their daily "to do" list. This is especially important for mom and dad in order to set the example for the children. They must see you doing this on a regular basis in order to accept the importance of it.

#3. Limit the amounts of sweets that your kids eat. There’s another thing that you may not have complete control over, as the kids are in school and will be out during social activities, but you can be a solid role model as a parent. A few things to consider are only keeping healthy snacks on hand in the house such as, fresh fruits, healthy muffins, dehydrated fruit snacks, nuts, juice, ect.

#4. Enroll in a dental discount plan. Dental discount plans, unlike dental insurance, do cover pre-existing conditions. This means that if anyone in your family has any type of dental problem right now that they’ll still receive a substantial discount on services rendered at the dentist.

This will enable your family to get a thorough checkup, cleanings, x-rays, fillings, ect., all at a big discount, instead of paying full price for these procedures. This could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Next, simply continue to follow your plan of prevention by taking your family members to the dentist twice a year to make certain that you stay on top of any potential problems.

Example Of Savings

This is an example of savings taken from one dental discount plan. This is only an example. There are several different plans that you can choose from when you are ready.

Cost of the plan $159.95 Annually.

Minimum costs on initial visit to your dentist are as follows. This is assuming that there are no fillings, extractions ect. to be performed.

In-Depth Cleaning For Adult - Regular cost $75.00, discount price $35.00. You save $64.00 x 2 Adults = $128.00

In-Depth Cleaning For Child - Regular cost $53.00, discount price $30.00. You save $23.00 x 2 Kids = $46.00

In-Depth Check up for all - Regular cost $67.00, discount price $31.00. You save $36.00 x 4 People = $144.00

Full Mouth X-Rays for all - Regular cost $104.00, discount price $40.00. You save $64.00 x 4 People = $256.00

Let’s add up what it would have cost without the plan. Go ahead and add up the regular costs of all of the different procedures and don’t forget to multiply each by two or by four where appropriate.

What did you come up with?

Regular cost for all services performed for the entire family would be $940.00. Once again, this is approximate, but in the "ballpark" for most dentists, depending on the area that you live in.

Now let’s look at what the cost would be with the dental discount plan.

Your total cost after paying the annual fee for the plan and getting your families dental care needs updated would be $573.95. $940.00 - $573.95 = $366.05 that you would save on dental procedures that your family must have on a regular basis.

Also, the figures above are only based on one visit and I added the entire annual fee for the plan. Your costs on your next visit would be an additional $159.95 less than the figures above. That means that your second family visit this year would only cost $414.00. That’s a savings of $526.00 below what you would pay without the discount plan.

So, as you can see, by taking care of major dental work before it occurs, you’ll be able to see significant savings on the costs of care that your family needs.

Joe Stewart is a webmaster and former Life and Health Insurance agent. Grab more tips by dropping by his website at http://www.Discount-Dental.net for more articles like this one or simply click on big discount dental plans.

Posted on Mar 27th, 2007

Accidents do happen, so it is important to be as prepared as you possibly can when the unexpected happens to you. Perhaps you’ll be eating dinner when you bite down hard on your fork and chip your tooth. Or maybe lose a tooth during a "friendly" family football game.

Be sure you know what number to call if the dental office is closed! Here are some guidelines to help you during a dental emergency.

If a tooth is knocked out:

  1. Immediately attempt to find the tooth.
  2. If you find the tooth, do not try to force the tooth back in the socket!
  3. Rinse it in warm water and place inside the mouth between the cheek and gum, or carefully replace the tooth. Do not rub the tooth to clean it.
  4. If you can not place the tooth in the mouth, wrap it in a clean, moist cloth or place in a cup of milk or water.
  5. If your gum is bleeding, hold a clean cloth on the injured gum.
  6. Contact your dentist for an emergency appointment. The sooner you receive treatment the better, preferably within the first 30 minutes.

Tooth-saver boxes, designed to hold and protect a knocked-out tooth, are available from pharmacies, such as Valu-Rite, for approximately $11. The manufacturer of this product estimates 90% of teeth survive up to 24 hours in "Save-A-Tooth."

If a tooth has been pushed out of position:

  1. Very gently push the tooth into its normal position.
  2. Do not try to force the tooth back in the socket!
  3. If the tooth is loose, carefully hold with a moist cloth.
  4. Use a cold compress to reduce swelling.
  5. Call your dentist as soon as possible and ask for an emergency appointment.

If you have broken a tooth:

  1. Very gently push the tooth into its normal position.
  2. Do not try to force the tooth back in the socket!
  3. If the tooth is loose, carefully hold with a moist cloth.
  4. Use a cold compress to reduce swelling.
  5. Call your dentist as soon as possible and ask for an emergency appointment.

If your cheeks, lips or tongue have been cut:

  1. Clean the area right away with water.
  2. If the wound is bleeding, put a clean cloth on the affected area and apply pressure.
  3. Call your doctor for advice on treatment. You may need to go to the emergency room for stitches.
  4. If you suspect you have a broken jaw:
  5. Secure your jaw by tying something like a tie or belt under your chin to the top of your head.
  6. Gently hold a cold compress or ice pack against the injury.
  7. Go to the emergency room immediately!

For information, contact Houston dentist-Minh Nguyen, D.D.S. at drnguyen@softdental.com. SoftDental (http://www.softdental.com) is Houston’s Premier Laser, Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.

Posted on Mar 20th, 2007

Teeth are for biting and chewing food, not for tearing packages open, pulling tags off new clothes, undoing knots or cracking nuts! We have all probably been guilty of using our teeth as a multi-purpose tool, but we should give our teeth much more respect. Although your teeth are strong, they will crack or chip with misuse. Here are some habits we would love you to try to give up once and for all:

  1. Chewing ice

    Many people habitually chew on ice, which can cause gum injuries or even broken teeth. Sometimes the damage is severe enough to require a crown. If ice chewing is a part of your routine, try sugarless gum instead. If you need to crunch something, try baby carrots or apple chunks.

    The urge to chew ice can also be symptomatic of iron-deficiency anemia. This is common form of anemia affects approximately 20 percent of women, 50 percent of pregnant women, and three percent of men. Iron-deficiency anemia is usually caused by inadequate iron intake, blood loss (from menstruation or surgery), or an increased need for iron (common with pregnancy or lactation).

    Iron is essential to the oxygen-carrying function of the blood. Without enough iron in your blood, your red blood cells (hemoglobin) cannot provide adequate oxygen supplies to your body tissues. You end up feeling tired and listless, and your skin may look pale. As anemia worsens, it can produce an irregular heart rate because your heart pumps additional blood to make up for the low level of oxygen. Anemia should not be left untreated.

    Whatever the cause, the bottom line is, do not chew ice! If you find it difficult to stop the habit, contact your physician.

  2. Using your teeth as a scissors
  3. Many people use their teeth to cut through string, open packages or remove tags from clothing. Of course, this is very bad for your teeth. In particular, if you use your teeth to remove the plastic "strings" that affix price tags to clothing, you might find yourself with a small divot in one of your teeth. This can lead to cracking and fracturing of the tooth later on. Always use scissors!

  4. Using toothpicks improperly
  5. Used properly, a toothpick can be a great tool to remove food from between your teeth when you do not have floss handy. But if you are aggressive with the toothpick, it can injure your gums or break off between your teeth. Use toothpicks gently, do not chew on them, and be sure to use the rounded ones, as they are less likely to damage your gums.

  6. Chewing pencils, pens and other hard objects
  7. Your teeth were meant to chew food, not writing utensils. Pencils, pens and other things that do not belong in your mouth can fracture teeth, leading to otherwise unnecessary dental repairs. Besides, you do not know where these items have been, so why would you put them in your mouth? If you feel the need to chew, stick to sugarless gum.

As you can see, misuse of your teeth could cause chips and fractures, resulting in unnecessary dental work. It is not that we do not want to see you in the dental office. Your dentists just do not want to have to treat you in preventable situations! Please try to avoid using your teeth, unless it is for biting or chewing food, of course!

For information, contact Houston dentist-Minh Nguyen, D.D.S. at drnguyen@softdental.com. SoftDental (http://www.softdental.com) is Houston’s Premier Laser, Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.

Posted on Mar 16th, 2007

As parents, it is important to inculcate in your child’s consciousness the importance of good oral health. Starting early is crucial. Your child’s first trip to the dentist should take place no later than his 2nd birthday. It is recommended by the American Dental Association that a child should visit a dentist as early as 6 to 12 months of age. Don’t let the appearance of dental decay or much worse, an aching tooth be the reasons for your child’s first trip to the dentist. Don’t wait for these to happen. Have your child scheduled early for dental care including professional cleaning. This will help prevent serious dental problems later on. Inquire from your dentist about fluoride supplements especially if you live in an area where the water is not fluoridated. Fluoride is important for developing teeth, your dentist knows this and she may topically apply fluoride to you child’s teeth to better protect these from dental decay, if necessary.

To make your child’s first trip to the dentist pleasant, here are few tips to follow:

1. Acquaint your child with the dentist and his office before the day of the examination. Taking him to the dentist’s office a day before the appointment will enable him to feel at ease with the place and the people around.

2. Proper scheduling of your child’s dental appointment is critical. A morning schedule is believed to be the best time since the child at this point is still full of energy and well rested. There will be less interference with the examination during this time since it is out of the way of meals and naps which are the usual activities of a child.

3. Treat the visit as a new exciting activity by explaining to the child that the dentist is a friend whose main concern is to make him stay healthy by making his teeth strong, beautiful and brilliant.

4. Properly explain to your child the dental examination by using positive language. Be aware that you might unintentionally pass unto your child the anxiety that you may have with your own dental exams. It is important that the child will not feel anxious about the procedure merely because he senses that anxiety from the way you communicate with him.

5. A child’s misbehavior should not be threatened by a visit to the dentist. Never threaten a child who is misbehaving with "stop or you are going to see the dentist" line. This will only heighten a child’s resistance to dentists and dental procedures.

6. Never resort to bribing a child who is trying to resist a visit to the dentist.

7. Choose your child’s dentist wisely. Scout for a good pediatric dentist before bringing your child to his first dental appointment. Your dentist might be doing great works for you but this doesn’t mean he can do the same for your child. You should know that some dental clinics are more child-friendly than others. Pediatric dentists are especially skilled and trained at dealing with young patients.

8. Do what you preach and set a good example. Brush and floss your teeth after every meal and schedule regular visits to the dentist. It would be a good practice to have your child brush with you. This will strengthen the bond you have with your child by doing the same activity together. This will also serve as a positive reinforcement allowing you to monitor the child’s tooth brushing technique and the use of correct amount of toothpaste.

Michael Russell

Your Independent Dental guide.

Posted on Mar 15th, 2007

Mouth and dental injuries are common accidents that can sometimes lead to a dental emergency. These could include injuries to the lips, hard and soft palate, gums, tongue, tonsils, inner cheeks, jaws and teeth. Injuries to these areas are usually magnified and appear worse than they actually are because of the vast line of blood vessels that run through the head and neck areas. Even a small cut in the mouth can produce profuse bleeding. These injuries usually occur as a result of a bike or auto accident, recreation, sports or work related accidents. A person getting into a fight can often sustain mouth and dental injuries. Even children at play are prone to encounter these types of injuries.

Here is valuable advice to follow in handling dental emergencies:

1. In an injury where the jaw may be involved and broken, tie a cloth, which could be a towel, necktie or handkerchief, around the jaw and over the top of the head to minimize and prevent jaw movement. This will keep the fractured bones intact and in place thus minimizing bone dislocation. Immediately seek medical treatment.

2. It is very important to know how to preserve a knocked out tooth in an event that a tooth is avulsed or knocked out from its socket usually during child’s play, sports or even at work. It is comforting to know that a knocked out tooth can still be re-implanted into the dental socket as long as proper procedures are followed in order to preserve the tooth right after being knocked out. The tooth should be rinsed in water by holding it at its crown or top portion. Be careful not remove any tissue fragments from the tooth. Place the tooth in tap water, milk or Hank solution and immediately go to the dentist for re-implantation. A successful dental re-implantation is expected if the tooth is returned back to the dental socket 30 minutes after avulsion. There is a lesser chance though of successful re-implantation if the operation is done 2 hours after the accident.

3. In accidental cases where the tooth chips or breaks, it is imperative that the dentist examines the extent of the damage. The dental damage may seem minor but it can be the cause of tooth or gum infection especially if pain is present. Immediately call your dentist and inform him about the accident. It will then be upon his discretion if whether or not you require immediate attention or just a scheduled dental appointment.

4. When an injury bleeds it is important to control the bleeding right away. To control bleeding of the teeth apply pressure to tooth or dental socket by biting on a cloth or dressing placed on the tooth or socket.

5. For injuries of the gums, lips and tongue, apply direct pressure to the wound with a moist cloth or gauze. It is important to determine whether an injury requires some stitches. Stitches are done by a health professional in order to minimize infection and in some instances for cosmetic reason. The following cases definitely need to be stitched.

a. In cases where there are deep, lacerated wounds, usually 6.4 mm deep with flap loose tissue. b. When the injury continues to bleed after 15 minutes of direct pressure. c. When a scar is likely to develop.

6. When an object is caught between your teeth, try to carefully remove it by using a dental floss or interdental stimulator. Be careful not to lodge the foreign object further into your gums or risk injury to adjoining soft tissues by using a sharp pointed object. If it is impossible to remove the object, visit your dentist for proper removal of the irritant.

Michael Russell

Your Independent Dental guide.

Posted on Mar 10th, 2007

Our teeth are important in proper speech delivery, proper digestion and food appreciation. These are also important in maintaining good self-image. Often, many of us fail to take care of our dentition properly. With proper understanding of dental disease and by following good oral hygiene, dental caries, gum disease with its accompanying pain and bad breath can be prevented.

Dental decay is caused by the breakdown of sugar into acid by bacteria. The acid attacks the enamel creating a minute cavity. In time, the dental decay progresses further into the dentin and the pulp. The basic rule for preventing dental decay is through a healthy diet containing as little sugar as possible. Studies show that the Eskimos rarely had incidences of tooth decay until they switched to a high sugar Western style diet. Moreover, dental decay was not rampant among the European population during World War II because of the scarcity of sugar supplies. Evidently, sugar plays a major role in the incidence rate of dental caries. The love of sweet foods is not a very healthy habit but it can be reversed or controlled. It is always a good practice as parents to let your children know the disadvantages of having a sweet tooth and curbing the habit early in life, while they are still young, will prove beneficial. Be mindful of what your children eat and drink. Give them water instead of soft drinks. It is more thirst quenching and healthy without the added disadvantages of the excessive sugar that is commonly found in soft drinks. Raw vegetables, bread, fruit or nuts are better and healthier snack alternatives than candies and cookies that contain a lot of sugar.

Studies show that the amount of sugar that enters into the mouth is less important than the frequency of sugar ingestion. The saliva can repair small amounts of damage caused by the acid formed by the bacteria and sugar interaction in the mouth. However, if the teeth are constantly bathed in sugar, the saliva’s capacity to repair minor damage will become useless and the repair process will be halted. This is why ingestion of sugar in between meals is more damaging than when taken during mealtimes. Frequent sugar intake between meals will prolong the teeth’s exposure to sugar.

In order to minimize dental decay, proper dental care is necessary. Be sure to brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day although doing it after every meal is highly recommended. It is even advisable to brush and floss your teeth after eating snacks, since food taken during these times are often high in sugar and starch like pastries and cakes. Always keep a travel toothbrush handy. Proper tooth brushing techniques, the use of dental floss and mouthwashes can remove plaque build-up. Plaque is a sticky thin film containing bacteria, food particles and saliva. When this sticky film is left on the tooth’s surface, over time there will be a bacterial breakdown of sugar into acid that will jeopardize the enamel’s integrity and starts dental caries.

A regular visit to the dentist is necessary in order to maintain and preserve your oral health. Always take care of your teeth and maintain that beautiful smile till you grow old.

Michael Russell Your Independent Dental guide

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