Taking care of your teeth is important to your health and your appearance. Damaged or rotting teeth cause pain, bad breath and can actually affect other parts of your body, like your heart. Use the helpful advice in the article below to keep your teeth bright, clean and healthy.
See your dentist at least once a year. A dentist can catch problems that you may not notice, and can x-ray your teeth to catch any cavities early. Your dentist can also recommend toothpastes and mouthwashes that you can use to care for your mouth while you are at home, too.
One of the worst feelings is to have a seed or some other foreign object caught between your teeth. Do not try to force it out with a fork or other hard object. Take a small length of floss and gently try to remove it. If it does not come out, visit your dentist, and they can help remove it.
Use fluoride, but not too much. Fluoride helps keep your teeth strong. It is especially helpful for children and teens. Too much fluoride, however, can damage teeth. If your city has fluoridated water, you may want to avoid fluoridated toothpaste. Ask your dentist to learn how to get the right amount of fluoride.
Does tartar build up easily in your mouth? If so, it's important you have reliable anti-tartar mouthwash and toothpaste. Concentrate on the most common areas for tartar buildup: behind the lower front teeth, as well as the outermost side of each upper molar. Schedule regular tartar removal appointments with your dentist.
Make tooth brushing fun for your young children so that they will want to engage in the habit. Play games with your child like seeing who can take longest to brush their teeth. Give children stickers or stars for completing routines that include tooth brushing, and buy them a small present when they have brushed their teeth for a certain number of days in a row.
Using mouthwash is a great way to clear out any loose debris and keep your breath smelling good. Make sure to avoid using a mouthwash with alcohol in it as those brands tend to dry out the mouth, leaving a veritable wonderland for bacteria and leading to terrible problems down the road.
If you have a damaged tooth, always use tooth extraction as a last result. At the end of the day, it is always better to keep your natural teeth as opposed to choosing are veneers covered by insurance other, more permanent solutions. This might mean more visits to the dentists office, but you and your teeth will feel better about it.
Don't over-brush. This can cause damage and lead to dental issues. Brush thrice daily and gently.
Make sure to use age-appropriate toothpaste for your children. Small children often swallow toothpaste instead of spitting it out. To avoid illness, they should use only non-toxic, fluoride-free formulas. When they are older, the ingredients in their toothpaste become age-appropriate. If your child is age three to five or above age five, there are special toothpastes formulated just for them.
Sugar feeds the bad bacteria found in your mouth. To help avoid feeding the bacteria brush your teeth immediately after consuming a sugary drink or food. To help protect your mouth and increase the beneficial bacteria found in your mouth take a probiotic supplement daily. Use both methods to increase the health of your mouth.
If your child will be receiving laughing gas at a dental appointment, make sure he or she does not eat for at least two hours before the appointment. Sometimes laughing gas can cause a bit of stomach upset. If the child has eaten recently, this can cause increased discomfort and even vomiting.
To maintain dental health, do not neglect proper flossing. If the floss you are currently using is too thin to adequately get between your teeth, try switching to a thicker kind, such as dental tape. Alternatively, you try doubling the strand of floss in order to achieve the desired thickness.
See your dentist for checkups and cleanings regularly. It is recommended that you see a dentist every 6 months to have your teeth cleaned. This will help you prevent cavities and catch any that you have early on. This will save you from a bigger problem with your teeth later on.
Many people with bad breath are missing one important part of their oral hygiene process - brushing their tongue! In fact, just by brushing their tongue, people find that they quickly fix their problem and end up with fresh, clean breath in no time, so give it a try yourself!
To get your breathe really fresh, brush twice daily, and don't forget about brushing your tongue. Bacteria and debris from the food you eat can gather on your tongue, and as air passes over your tongue, they send an unpleasant odor -- which turns into your bad breath.
Use apple cider vinegar as a mouthwash in the morning. This is an excellent way for you to get fresh breath, but more than that, apple cider vinegar can also get rid of stains on your teeth and make your teeth appear brighter. Apple cider vinegar is very inexpensive, so this is a wonderful tool in your dental care.
If you're a jaw clencher when you're stressed, you could harm your teeth. When you do this, you are putting your teeth under pressure and these can weaken over time. Learn to recognize when you are clenching your jaw and work to stop the habit.
To help keep your gums clean, remember to brush at the gum line, not just across the teeth. This scrubs out the bacteria that have gathered under the shelter of your gum, sending them down the drain. If you don't, gum disease can crop up quickly, leading to painful procedures.
Taking care of your teeth is something that shouldn't take up all of your time. All you need is the proper knowledge and a bit of determination. If you do not have good dental hygiene, you will have trouble down the line. Use these tips to keep a great smile on your face without a lot of hassle.
