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BEST FOODS TO KEEP YOUR TEETH HEALTHY

Talking about oral health brushing twice a day, flossing, regular dental check-ups all are important but one factor which everyone avoids is your diet-what you eat and how often you eat. The change will start when you eat certain foods. Bacteria present in your mouth convert carbohydrates and sugar into acids, these acids will attack the enamel of teeth, starting to decay teeth.

The often you are eating a snack you are exposing more your teeth to decay and the time between the meals allows the saliva to wash away these bacteria. Frequent snacking during the daytime, without brushing immediately gives fuel to bacteria.

Healthy foods and drinks for the mouth:

Best food choices for your healthy teeth include cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, Monterey jack, nuts.  These food items contain calcium and phosphorous that help in remineralize teeth (a natural process by which minerals are redeposited in teeth enamel that are washed by acids). If you’re lactose intolerant in that case you have to avoid milk and dairy products can switch to spinach and broccoli as they also contain a high amount of calcium.

Fruits and vegetables like apples, melons, peas, cucumbers, and celery have high water content which dilutes the effect of sugar they contain. Acidic foods such as citrus tomatoes, lemon contain acid so they should be eaten as part of a larger meal to minimize the acid content.

Poor food choices for your teeth are jellybeans, hard candies, lollipops, bread, cakes, muffins, cookies, pies, French fries, caramel, bananas, raisins, honey, and other dried fruits. These foods have large sugar content and also stick to the teeth giving chance to bacteria. Cough drops should be used when necessary as they are like sugary candy can coat sugar on your teeth.

If you are planning to give your child sweets better give them as desserts immediately after your food reason being during meal time amount of saliva in the mouth is very high washing away sugary content. The best beverage for teeth includes unsweetened tea and fluoridated water. Limit your consumption of sugary drinks like tea, lemonade, coffee, soft drinks with added sugar.

Is chewing gum ok for teeth?

Many people consider chewing gum bad for your teeth but chewing sugarless gums is beneficial to your teeth as chewing helps in removing foods that are stuck in your teeth and also increases the flow of saliva to neutralize acids in the mouth. Some gums even contain ingredients that can reduce cavities and avoid if you have jaw pain.

Gums and teeth care tips:

Brush your teeth regularly. Brush twice a day morning and night before sleeping. If brushing between the meals is not possible then rinse your mouth with water several times.

Use fluoride-containing toothpaste to avoid early decay.

Floss at least once a day to remove food particles stuck between teeth and below the gumline.

Visit your dentist regularly after every six months for check-ups and cleanings. Getting regular check-ups can avoid future dental problems.

Avoid eating food that contains high sugary content and choose nutritious foods such as raw vegetables, apples, plain yogurt, and cheese.

The connection between oral health and heart disease

 It is next to possible to think that your oral health can be connected with heart disease also. But, indeed, oral health (such as tooth loss or gum disease) can directly affect your heart such as heart stroke or attack.

Brushing your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes can lower down the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

How cardiovascular disease and poor oral health be connected?

The bacteria present in your mouth that causes gum and teeth infection causes gingivitis can travel to elsewhere in the body through blood vessels can cause blood vessel inflammation and damage followed by tiny blood clots, heart attack, and stroke.

Bacteria present in the mouth not only cause infection but the body’s immune response causes inflammation that causes vascular damage in the body, including the brain and heart.

There may be no direct connection between gum disease and cardiovascular disease but the other factor that can also affect is smoking.  Smoking can affect both your oral health as well as cardiovascular health.

Symptoms and warning signs:

 Your gums are swollen, red, and sore when touched.

Notice bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth.

Your gums bleed when you brush, eat or floss.

Infection around teeth or gums.

You feel the loose tooth.

Who is at risk?

Patients who are facing chronic gum conditions such as Gingivitis or advanced periodontal disease have the highest risk for heart disease which is caused by poor oral health when it remains undiagnosed or unmanaged. The bacteria that are mostly associated with gum infection are present in the mouth and enter the bloodstream, where they get attached to blood vessels and increase the risk for cardiovascular disease.

People think if gum inflammation is not noticed you cannot affect the heart but inadequate oral hygiene and accumulated plaque can put you at risk for gum disease.

Measures for prevention:

For prevention of gum disease and proper oral hygiene brush twice a day with a soft-bristled brush that perfectly fits your mouth and reaches every tooth surface even on teeth that are far away. Use toothpaste in which fluoride content is high to increase gum health. You should also floss daily and regular dental check-up for regular professional cleaning is a must.

By being proactive about your oral health, you can protect yourself from developing any connection between oral health and cardiovascular disease.

What To Do With The Chip or Break a Tooth

Teeth are damaged in many ways and the damage could be slight or extensive depending upon the condition of teeth and injury. If the damage caused to teeth is major then you have to make a visit to your dentist and in case of minor injury, you can solve it at home.

In case of major injury quickly address the pain and protect your teeth and inside of the mouth from further injury.

Break a tooth:

If there is a break in the tooth first rinse your mouth with warm water right away to clean it. Then apply pressure to the area to stop bleeding and place a cold compress at the area of swelling.

Lose a tooth:

If the tooth has popped out completely from the mouth, use a gauze pad to hold it by the crown and then try to place it back into the socket if possible.

If the tooth appears to be dirty then rinse it with clean water. Don’t clean or scrub it with any other solution and don’t clean hard otherwise bits of tissue will mix in water.

If you are not able to put the tooth back in the socket place it in the glass of water, milk, or saline solution. Try to get to the dentist as fast as possible before 30minutes.

How to protect your mouth until you see a dentist:

If your tooth got a small chip, that case applies dental wax over the edge to keep it from slicing your tongue or affecting your mouth. This procedure is not recommended if you have a large chip or section of tooth missing.

OTC temporary kits that contain dental wax are available in drugstores.

Try to avoid chewing on the side with a damaged tooth and floss around the tooth to reduce pressure.

Injuries that need treatment and that don’t need treatment:

In case of injuries, any tooth can break down that range from slight cosmetic damage to serious injuries. Deep can run down to roots or from the tooth’s center to the pulp chamber, which contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue.

Cracks may not be visible, hiding inside the tooth or below the gums. Some of the chips or cracks may have no symptoms or symptoms that appear to be cavities, sensitivity or periodontal disease.

The deeper or wider range of cracks needs extensive treatment. A dentist can diagnose the damage with or without magnifying glass by performing a bite test or using a dental x-ray.

Cracks that might not need treatment:

Not every crack or chip needs treatment or some are quite common. Craze lines are small cracks that appear on enamel only or are common.

Cracks that need to see a dentist:

You will have to see the dentist in any case of small crack or chips because it is hard to tell the extent of damage caused to the tooth.

There are no home remedies to prevent further injuries to your teeth and mouth and the sharp edge of a cracked tooth can damage soft tissues of the mouth, causing more pain, infection, and costlier treatment.

In case of untreated damage, it could lead to a root canal, tooth loss, or other complications.