Archive

Posts Tagged ‘Enamel’

Prevent Teeth Staining

December 18th, 2009

Everyone wants a great smile. Healthy teeth are very important in today’s society. Nice teeth and smile can land you the job of your dreams, or even that dream date. So how do you prevent stains on your teeth? There are many factors that cause your teeth to look yellow and unattractive.
The number one reason for stained teeth is tobacco. Whether you chew or smoke it will leave your teeth looking yellow, and these stains are very hard to remove. Other culprits are soda, coffee, teas. Colored juices, red wines, blueberries and curry powder are other causes. Anything that will stain your carpet will stain your teeth as well.
Another cause of teeth becoming yellow is aging. As you age the enamel on your teeth becomes worn down. Enamel is the other layering on your teeth that protects your teeth. When this is worn down, the yellowish tint then shows through your teeth.
You can prevent the stains from happening by brushing two to three times a day, using an electric toothbrush is more effective than a manual toothbrush. Brushing your teeth too hard will damage your enamel, so make sure you are only doing enough to get your teeth clean and not over doing it.
Flossing is important as well. If you look at a stained tooth you will notice that at the edges that is where the most staining is. This is because plaque sits between the teeth and the bacteria just keeps building. By limiting plaque buildup you are limiting stains as well.
Like mentioned before, the number one reason of stained teeth is smoking. So if you want to get rid of those yellow tints quit smoking. If you don’t only want to quit it for a great smile do it for your health.
When drinking a beverage like soda or juice that can stain your teeth try using a straw. This will eliminate the direct staining to your teeth. If you’re drinking coffee or tea, try only doing it in a sitting compared to sipping throughout the day. Make sure after drinking these beverages you brush your teeth. If you cannot brush your teeth at that time, then try to rinse your mouth.
Having regular check up from your dentist is key in maintaining white healthy teeth. Dentists have the special tools to remove stains and plaque build up that sit on your teeth. Do not try to use your own methods to clean your teeth. You dentist can also use bleaching methods that are effective in just one visit. Using baking soda can scratch your teeth making it easier to produce a stain.
If you want to try to remove stains yourself, make sure with your dentist it is safe. You can try using products such as teeth whitener and stain removing toothpastes. You can also try Crest White Strips MultiCare. This product is great and only takes 5 minutes. These strips are also great for sensitive teeth, and you see results in less than a week!

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Tips From a Dentist on Caring for your Child’s Teeth

November 20th, 2009

Fluoride has been shown to have definite beneficial effects on the growth of strong teeth, as it hardens tooth enamel. Fluoride in higher doses has also been shown to be detrimental to health in other ways. The controversy over fluoride rages on today. You will have to make your own decisions about the use of supplemental fluoride, as there are compelling arguments on both sides of the controversy.

Normally, tap water in most cities contains some fluoride supplementation. If not in your area, check with your dentist about a prescription for regular daily fluoride supplementation. However, to avoid possibility of harmful effects do not exceed recommended doses of fluoride.

Cavities are the most common dental problem among children. If you allow your infant to sleep with a bottle of milk or juice, sugar present in milk or juice can remain on the gums and teeth for a prolonged period. This leads to cavities. Don’t allow your child to walk around all waking hours with a bottle. Instead, teach your child to start drinking from a cup as soon as they are able.

Additionally, if your child consumes lots of sugary foods like candy, cookies, raisins, and many sweetened fruit juices, there is a high risk of developing cavities. If most of your family members suffer from cavities, your child could also develop cavities early in life. The tendency towards tooth decay may be hereditary, but the actual development of cavities requires bacteria. Since bacteria thrive more in a high sugar environment, feed your child good nutritious non-sweetened foods and teach them to brush and floss at least twice daily. Flossing once a day is equally essential.

Caring for Your Child’s Teeth – Before Birth to 6 Months

A healthy pregnancy contributes to healthy formation of teeth in your baby. A woman should eat a nutritious and balanced diet with lots of vitamins and minerals during her pregnancy. She should also, undergo a thorough dental examination and have any decayed teeth filled or oral infections resolved. Your baby’s teeth start forming from the second trimester of pregnancy. A baby at birth has all twenty teeth, although within the jaws beneath the gums.

After the birth of your child, in addition to a good nutritious diet, follow simple dental habits. As mentioned previously if bottle-feeding your child, do not put your child to sleep with a bottle of milk or juice. Sugars from juice and milk stay for prolonged periods and cause bacteria to develop. Remove bottle soon after feeding. Breast-feeding to sleep does not cause any problems.

Clean your child’s mouth and gums with a wet gauze after feedings and at bedtime. If anyone in the household smokes, you will want to keep your child away from the tobacco and cigarette smoke. Aside from the obvious harmful medical effects, this could cause gum inflammation.

Caring for Your Child’s Teeth – 6 Months to 3 Years

Infants start the eruption of their first teeth from the age of six months. They normally have six teeth around their first birthday. Use a wet cloth or sponge to wipe their gums after feedings. After the first few teeth appear, use a soft brush and water to clean your infant’s teeth. Develop the habit of drinking from a cup around nine months of age to discourage bottle-feeds.

Put a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush to brush your child’s teeth after your child is a year-old. Until the age of three, you should brush your child’s teeth both in the morning and at night. Teach your child not to swallow toothpaste.

Develop good eating habits in your child by giving foods that help in growth and development of strong gums and teeth like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Do not give sugary or high-carbohydrate foods like pastries, pasta, and processed carbohydrates.

Caring for Your Child’s Teeth – 3 Years to 6 Years

At three years of age, your child may be learning to talk and starting to understand a few things. This is a good time to teach your child good dental habits.

Teach your child to brush their teeth on their own with your supervision. You can encourage your child to watch other elder siblings and elders brushing their teeth to learn the correct techniques.

Flossing is essential as soon as teeth start touching each other. Use plastic flossing tools available in the market to teach proper flossing habits to your child.

Infants and small children often suck their thumbs. A four-year old normally stops thumb sucking on their own. If not, you can take necessary guidance from your dentist to stop this habit and avoid unnecessary orthodontic complications.

Caring for Your Child’s Teeth – 6 Years to 16 Years

From the age of six, your child starts losing all primary teeth and permanent teeth start growing in their place. By now, your child should be able to brush their own teeth independently. Make your child realize importance of brushing regularly in the morning and evening. Teach your child to floss regularly. You can ask your dentist to guide your child on correct technique of flossing.

Take your child to the dentist regularly. If your child develops cavities, the dentist will suggest proper treatment remedies. Give chewable disclosing tablets to your child regularly to detect any plaque left on your child’s teeth after brushing. These are available at local drugstores. They cause the plaque on the teeth to stain red so that it can be seen.

You can discuss with your dentist if it is essential to put dental sealants on the molar teeth of your child. Sealants are of hard plastic. The sealants are a flowable liquid when applied, and flow into the grooves and pits of the chewing surfaces and then are hardened. This protects these surfaces from bacteria.

Teach your child to eat nutritious food like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Educate your child about ill effects of highly processed carbohydrates and sugary foods. These habits, if started early, will instill good eating habits in your child and will lead to healthy teeth and bodies.

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Maintaining Healthy Teeth

October 30th, 2009

Proper oral care is that way to maintain healthy teeth. Caring for your teeth is much easier than it sounds. Regular check ups with your dentist is very important as well. Brushing, flossing, and rinsing are important as well. What most people don’t know is that a healthy diet is a major factor as well.
Choosing the proper diet to maintain great teeth can be a little troubling. Foods that are high in sugars and starches, soda pop are horrible for your teeth. Plaque builds up onto the teeth from these starches. When the plaque is then combine with the sugar it then attacks the enamel on your teeth. When the enamel is weakened it will then lead to tooth decay. It’s not only crucial to keep your teeth plaque free, but taking care of your gums is important as well. Many of the food you consume everyday have came into contact with hundreds of germs and bacteria that can survive in your mouth. This is why you should brush your after meals and floss daily.
Your teeth do a lot of work everyday of your life. They grind down your food to help you digest your food. Without your teeth assisting you with this task your body wouldn’t get the fuel it needs. Just like a car to keep it running it needs proper maintenance. Keep your teeth maintained. Using a good toothbrush will help cut down plaque and tarter. There are tons of electric toothbrushes to help remove bacteria.
Bad breath is another issue when it comes to oral hygiene. It is not only unpleasant for yourself, but also embarrassing when you are trying to hold a conversation with others. Bad breath is caused by the bacteria that live in your mouth. You can chew gum that is sweetened with xylitol, or try buying a tongue scrubber. When you brush your teeth gently brush the gums, roof of your mouth and as far back as you can.
When you let bacteria build up at the bottom of your teeth when you brush you can see bleeding. When this continues your gums start to loosen and it bacteria begins to eat at the bone and ligaments that hold your teeth in place. The bacteria can get into your blood stream from there and can cause heart disease and other serious conditions.
It is extremely important that if you feel anything wrong with your teeth that you see a dentist immediately. Leaving a cracked tooth can cause harmful liquids to get into your blood stream and cause infection into your body. If you feel your tooth is sensitive you should do to the doctors to get a cavity filled as soon as possible. Leaving this untreated can cause decay and eventually lead to a root canal, which is very painful.
In general some people just have sensitive teeth. You should then use some type of fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinse. You may even need a prescription for specific toothpaste.
Not only do you need your teeth for eating but appearance is important as well. You do not need perfect looking teeth. A clean appearance with nice white teeth can land a job, or catch the eye of the opposite sex. To keep your teeth looking their best you can try Crest White Strips Premium 7-day. You will start seeing result in 3 days and the full result in 7.

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