10 Tips To Help You And Your Family Maintain Healthy Teeth
There are plenty of reasons why you need to keep you family’s teeth and gums healthy, such as great looking smiles, being able to eat healthy and proper food, staying away from all the toothache as well as discomfort. Furthermore, recent studies demonstrated that unhealthy teeth and gum diseases may well lead to different heart-related issues too.
Thankfully, though, there are great methods that will help maintain strong and healthy teeth from childhood and all the way up to old age. Here is how:
- Make sure that your children learn early on. Even though parents try to prevent tooth decay, one in every four children may well develop tooth decay even before they begin school. Furthermore, half of 12-15 year olds have cavities. Hence, it is important to begin dental care as soon as the first tooth appears, or at least this is what industry experts advise. Once the child is about 2 years old, you may even let him or her brush on their own.
- The trouble may be sealed. At around 6 years, permanent molars may enter the frame. Protective coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth may well prevent the decay. Furthermore, even the CDC claims that these sealants may significantly reduce the caries issue. However, only one in three children have those to begin with.
- Using enough fluoride – not too much though. The most significant advancement in tooth care is that fluoride will strengthen the enamel and will make it less prone to decay. Most US citizens drink water that is filled with fluoride. However, if that is not the case, you should get in touch with a qualified dental practitioner to figure out how to get more fluoride in your ration. Different mouth rinses as well as toothpastes also contain fluoride. It should be sparingly used in children, in significantly lesser dosages. Too much of it may leave white spots on the teeth.
- Simply brush twice a day and floss regularly. Tooth decay and gum disease may turn into a genuine problem, and not just for elderly individuals. Most teenagers have bleeding gums, so along with the above-mentioned advice, be sure that you change the toothbrush three to four times every year. Furthermore, teenagers with braces will need to use special toothbrushes as well as other oral hygiene tools in order to brush their teeth properly. Elderly individuals, who suffer from arthritis or other issues, may have problems holding the toothbrush, so some find an electric toothbrush better.
- Chew gum or rinse after you eat. Aside from flossing as well as brushing, it would also be a great idea to rinse your mouth using a special antibacterial rinse that will aid in preventing gum problems and decay. Furthermore, by chewing sugar-free gum after the meals, you will also be able to protect your teeth by increasing the saliva flow, which naturally washes bacteria away and neutralizes acid.
- Make sure you do not damage the teeth. While sporting activities may help you build a healthy body, they may pose danger for the teeth. The vast majority of schools these days require children to wear special mouth guards. Yet, keep in mind that unsupervised recreational activities such as roller-blading as well as skate-boarding may also end up in trauma. A qualified dentist in Sherman Oaks will be able to make an individual mouth guard, or you can get one at a sporting goods store.
- Avoid smoking and smokeless tobacco. Tobacco stains the teeth and increases the overall risk of gum disease as well as oral cancer. If you are a smoker, consider quitting this habit and make sure your children don’t start.
- Have smart eating habits. It is always important for the teeth and the gums to have a healthy diet. You will need to eat balanced nutrition – nuts, grains, vegetables, fruits as well as all kinds of dairy products to get all the nutrients your system requires. In addition, numerous studies also point out that Omega-3 fats found in the fish will also help reduce inflammation and will therefore lower the overall risk of gum disease.
- Avoid sugar. Once the bacteria in the mouth begin to break down simple sugars, they produce acids that will erode the tooth enamel and will open the door to decay. Hence, sugary drinks are a danger, since we tend to sip them and raise the levels of acids for a longer time.
- Visit a dentist. The vast majority of experts are recommending we visit a dental expert once every six months – even more often if you are experiencing gum disease issues. Performing a routine check will help remove the plaque that was built up in the mouth area too.
If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment with dentist in Sherman Oaks, please call us directly or email us using contact form.
