Health & Wellness - Jan 17

8 & January 2017 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net | Like us @healthykentucky
Keeping Your Mouth and
Teeth Healthy
Choose your weapons in the fight
against dental disease
By Harleena
Singh, Staff Writer
The first set of
teeth is mostly formed
at birth. These teeth
hide under the gums.
They hold the space where eventually
the permanent teeth will be, allowing
them to grow in straight.
When your child’s new teeth first
appear, clean them by rubbing them
gently with a wet washcloth; later you
can use a child’s toothbrush. Don’t
allow your child to sleep with a bottle;
this can leave juice or milk on the
teeth, causing cavities known as babybottle
tooth decay.
Use water without toothpaste to
brush your child’s teeth if he or she
is under two years of age. Teach your
children how to brush their teeth and
tell them the importance of keeping
their teeth clean. Avoid giving
your children sticky or chewy food.
Instead, encourage them to eat lowsugar
snacks such as cheese, fruits
and vegetables. The American Dental
Association (ADA) recommends
children see their dentist starting at 1
year of age.
For teens, let them know taking
good care of their teeth and mouth
will give them a nice smile, pleasant
breath and fewer cavities. Teens should
not smoke or chew tobacco, which
stains the teeth, promotes bad breath
and can even cause cancer. Young people
need to brush their teeth at least
twice daily with fluoride toothpaste
and floss once a day. They should also
visit the dentist every six months for
regular check-ups and cleanings.
Taking care of your mouth and
teeth regularly when you’re an adult
can help you avoid painful gums, tooth
loss and other problems. Again, you
need to brush your teeth twice a day
with fluoride toothpaste and floss
them once daily. Check your mouth
for sores that don’t heal, irritated gums
and other changes, and ask your doctor
if your medicines have side effects
that can damage your teeth. Don’t
smoke or chew tobacco and visit the
dentist every six months for regular
To maintain daily dental care, the
main weapons are the toothbrush,
toothpaste and interdental (between
your teeth) cleaning.
check-ups and cleanings. Your dentist
can catch problems such as trauma,
tooth decay, gum disease or cancer at
an early stage.
Be careful of soda because of the
phosphoric and citric acid it contains.
These ingredients give soda its “bite”
but they can also eat away the surface
of your teeth. You need to quit smoking
because the nicotine and tar in
cigarettes turn your teeth yellow and
eat away at your gums. Smoking also
leads to the formation of bacteria and
plaque on your teeth and along the
gumline, which harms tissue, degrades
the bone that supports teeth and eventually
increases your risk of tooth loss.
Tobacco chemicals can even lead to
oral cancer.
Use a toothbrush with soft to medium,
multi-tufted, round-ended nylon
bristles. Replace it when you notice
bent bristles or after three months of
use. A worn toothbrush can injure the
teeth and gums. While brushing, use
short, gentle, circular motions and
hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree
angle, pointed towards the gum line.
Also, lightly brush your tongue to help
keep your mouth clean.
When flossing, wrap about a foot
of floss around your index fingers,
keeping around 2 inches between your
fingers to work with. For each tooth,
unroll a fresh section of floss and keep
it tight against the tooth to break up
plaque. Be sure to rinse after you floss.
You can protect your teeth from
sports injuries by wearing a mouth
guard or full-face helmet when playing.
Don’t use your teeth to crack nuts,
rip open packages or remove bottle
tops. Doing so risks chipping or even
breaking your teeth.
Dry mouth occurs when you don’t
have enough spit or saliva to keep
your mouth wet. This makes it hard
to eat, taste, swallow and even speak.
It can lead to tooth decay and other
mouth infections. To prevent dry
mouth, sip water or sugarless drinks,
don’t smoke and avoid alcohol and
caffeine.
Take care when learning to eat with
dentures. Start with soft, non-sticky
food and cut it into small pieces and
chew slowly, using both sides of your
mouth. Take the dentures out of your
mouth at night and soak them in
water or a denture-cleansing liquid.
A few minor changes in your daily
routine can make a huge difference
in the long term. Your dentist can
remove any build-up on your teeth
and treat any gum disease that has
already appeared. However, you need
to maintain daily dental care, and the
main weapons are the toothbrush,
toothpaste and interdental (between
your teeth) cleaning.
About the Author
Harleena Singh is a professional freelance
writer and blogger who has a
keen interest in health and wellness.
She can be approached through her
blog (www.aha-now.com) and Web site,
www.harleenasingh.com. Connect with
her on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.