Having healthy and beautiful teeth depends on our general health. However, you can have a beautiful smile without much effort and time invested. Just everyday care, proper nutrition and regular checkup visits to the dentist can prevent not only the most common diseases of the teeth, dental caries and periodontal disease, but also very serious diseases.
Proper dental care
You should brush your teeth (preferably) after every meal and at least twice a day, after breakfast and before bedtime. It is important not to brush your teeth immediately after a meal. In this period, due to increased acidity, tooth whiteness is particularly sensitive, and can be damaged if you brush your teeth. Therefore, particularly after meals containing sugar or acid, pastries and fruit, you should wait with brushing for at least 30 minutes.
You should choose a brush made of synthetic fibers, which is easy to maintain and dries quickly so it is not susceptible to bacteria. Furthermore, in order to prevent damage to the gums and to have a good reach, the handle should fit your grip, and the brush head should be small and round-shaped. If the fibers of the brush are too hard, it can damage the surface of the teeth and gums, but medium firm or soft fibers will have the opposite effect, while cleaning and massaging the gums will still be possible. After using it, the toothbrush has to be thoroughly washed and thoroughly dried, and after six to eight weeks you should always replace it with a new one.
When it comes to toothpaste, experts recommend those that contain fluoride, which strengthens and protects the teeth.
Brushing ought to last for about 3 minutes. Brush strokes should be in small circular movements, from the gums to the tooth, first the front, then the inner surface, and then the chewing surfaces of all teeth. When brushing your teeth, gently massage the gums in circular motion, and do not forget to brush up the tongue, which can harness very harmful bacteria.
Regardless of whether you use a regular or electric toothbrush, almost 40% of the area, especially between the teeth, is inaccessible or hardly accessible for cleaning. Therefore, dental floss should be used daily, preferably after brushing your teeth in the evening.
Experts recommend the use of lubricating gel or washing liquid once a week, which contain fluorine, and a preventive check-up at the dentist’s twice a year.
Impact of Food on Dental Health
Surely everyone knows that the first step in preventing tooth decay is their regular cleaning, however, it is very useful to know exactly how certain foods allow maintenance of tooth enamel and removing unsightly stains. Certain foods are bad for your body, especially your teeth. If you do not control the amount you eat, it can lead to serious problems.
Hard candy can stick to the surface of the tooth and requires a long time to decompose, so they are very harmful to the teeth. Some of them are so hard that they can cause your teeth to break if you bite into them. However, it’s not just about the amount of sugar you eat but how often, too.
Bacteria in the mouth love sugar, and the fermentation of sweet things into acid that eats away at the enamel of the tooth causes bleeding and formation of unsightly stains.
Caries is an infectious disease caused by various bacteria (Streptococcus sanguis and Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Actinomyces naeslundi, Actinomyces viscosus and many others), and occurs as a result of a combination of these bacteria and sugars from food and beverages along with other factors.
Foods full of starch also operate in a similar manner, because the enzymes in saliva break down starch into acid that produces simple sugars. Reach for certain foods that really do wonders for your teeth and give a whiter and more beautiful smile.
Carrots
The firm and crunchy foods like raw carrots will force you to chew more than you chew to eat softer foods, and that is a good thing. The chewing stimulates the production of saliva, which neutralizes acids and enzymes in the mouth that can destroy tooth enamel.
Cheese
Over the years the acid slowly but surely erodes tooth enamel. However, calcium and phosphorus, minerals that are contained in cheese and tofu prevent tooth decay. Although adult teeth are already formed, it is certainly useful to regularly eat calcium and phosphorus that restore tooth enamel.
Salmon
Salmon is an excellent source of phosphorus, which strengthens tooth enamel. In only three grams of salmon there is 315 mg of this useful mineral. Clean and undamaged enamel makes teeth whiter and healthier because it renders the dark dentin in the middle of the tooth less visible. In addition, fish is also an excellent source of vitamin D and encourages the absorption of calcium.
Spinach
Of course, it is quite inconvenient when bits of spinach get stuck between your teeth, but the risk is worth it. Dark leafy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce and chard are one of the best sources of magnesium, which is crucial for healthy tooth enamel. Half a cup of vegetable contains as much as 78 mg of magnesium.
Apples
The rough texture of the fruit packed with fiber has the excellent function of “scrubbing” the gums. A medium-sized apple contains about four grams of fiber, which makes it one of the best sources of fiber. For example, bananas, oranges and cherries contain half the fiber. In addition, the acid contained in apples can lighten the color of the tooth surface and absorb stains.
Strawberries
Although the berries easily color everything, the fact of the matter is that ascorbic acid in the fruit can have a mild bleaching function. Strawberries are also packed with polyphenols that inhibit the formation and growth of bacteria. However, after eating any fruit or acidic foods, you should definitely wash your teeth.
Acidic foods
If you like lemon and you’ve heard that it whitens your teeth, be careful. Lemon can be harmful to the teeth. After eating such foods you need to thoroughly clean your teeth.
Lozenges
Lozenges contain concentrated acids which damage teeth because they stick to them. Even healthy and vitamin drinks can be harmful to your teeth.
Foods that contain starch
Chips, white bread, pizza, pasta and burgers are unhealthy because their particles get retained between the teeth. These foods can quickly turn into sugar in your mouth because pre-digestive process begins.
Carbonated and energy drinks
Sweetened, carbonated and energy drinks are especially harmful to the teeth if you have a habit of frequently drinking them. Acids found in such drinks are a key factor carbonated drinks, sweetened or not, cause damage to the teeth, which, according to numerous studies, can cause erosion and significant damage to the teeth, if proper dental hygiene is disregarded.
On the other hand, some drinks contain phosphoric acid as a factor of acidity or flavorings. Phosphoric acid, at a concentration of 37 percent, is used for etching enamel during reconstructive surgery (making fillings) for 10 seconds. Enamel demineralization occurs owing to the contact of phosphoric acid in smaller concentrations with tooth enamel. The worst thing to do is to hold and shake soda in your mouth and squeeze the liquid through your teeth.
Dried fruit
Dried fruit can be harmful to teeth because it contains concentrated sugar and sticks to your teeth. It promotes the growth of bacteria in the mouth and causes damage to the enamel.
Alcohol and wine
The saliva in the mouth helps to remove food particles and protects against acidic foods, and because alcohol prevents the production of saliva, it is detrimental to the teeth. Alcohol can lead to gum disease and even cancer.
What to consume? – Water, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, nuts and green tea
Water
Water is irreplaceable, so you should rinse your teeth after meals or after drinking sweetened beverages.
Dairy products
Dairy products are rich in vitamins and minerals. They renew supplies of calcium, which is essential for the health of the teeth.
Nuts
Walnuts are rich in vitamins, minerals, calcium, potassium and zinc and are healthy for your teeth.
Green tea
Green tea inhibits the growth of bacteria and helps fight inflammation of the gums and plaque formation. Coffee and cocoa are also very useful.
Important
Do not brush your teeth immediately after drinking and eating something sour or sweetened, because the tooth enamel gets damaged even faster. Rinse with water, wait half an hour while saliva does its job, and then brush your teeth with toothpaste.
There are certain diseases, conditions and habits that contribute to the decay of the enamel. For example, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) which is not treated, can cause deterioration of the enamel as the acid of the stomach comes back into the oral cavity. A similar phenomenon, but significantly more pronounced, is seen with bulimia. Specifically, individuals diagnosed with bulimia often cause themselves vomit and therefore decay tooth enamel.
Recommendations for dental health over the summer
- Juices and other sugary and acidic drinks consumed in intervals rather than continuously
- Avoid carbonated drinks
- Introduce a lot of fruits and vegetables, and vitamin supplements (avoid effervescent tablets) as harmful sunny rays can generate increased amounts of free radicals.
- Brush your teeth regularly in the morning and evening with quality toothpaste with fluoride
- If you often eat ice cream and sweetened beverages, you should wash your mouth 3-4 times a day with a solution based on fluoride.
- Chew sugarless gum, especially after sweet and sticky meals, because it stimulates the secretion of saliva, rinsing of sugar and recovery of enamel surfaces. It is even better if the gum contains fluoride.
- The most unwanted habit is to constantly be chewing something, regardless of whether it is fruit or bread. Children and adults should not eat more than 4-5 meals a day.
- Carbonated drinks should be drunk with a straw to prevent contact with enamel.