How do you take care For Teeth ?
We all need teeth to chew and speak clearly. Our teeth also affect the appearance of our faces as well as the all-important smile.
It is therefore important to look after them properly by maintaining good oral hygiene, including tooth brushing, visiting your dentist for checkups often and taking a proper diet.
Tooth Decay -
- Teeth decay when a thin, sticky layer forms on the surface.
- The layer, called plaque, contains many bacteria. When you eat sugary foods, the bacteria in the plaque turn the sugar into the energy they need, producing acid at the same time. This acid softens and dissolves the hard surface covering the teeth, in turn slowly producing the cavity.
- This surface that is affected is called enamel. The whole process in which this cavity is formed is known as demineralization, or simply tooth decay (caries).
- When the cavity reaches the dentine, which is the white substance underneath the enamel one starts feeling pain since this substance is sensitive to pain unlike the enamel which doesn’t contain any nerves. Saliva that is produced in our mouth, lips to wash away and neutralize the acid also contains minerals that replace those lost from the enamel during the acid attack, in a process called remineralization. Demineralization and remineralization are processes repeated anytime we eat or drink.
Brushing of Teeth -
- Caring for teeth properly means that when we brush our teeth the kind of toothbrush and the brand of toothpaste we use matter a lot.
- The toothbrush should be the one with soft bristles which helps in gradually removing plaque without injury to the gums and teeth.
- We can easily make toothpaste at home, for example the strawberry toothpaste which is very effective for making teeth strong and clean.
- Strawberries have many properties that bleach and clean teeth, and these are very useful in removing tea and coffee stains from the teeth.
- We can also make toothpaste from hydrogen peroxide by mixing a teaspoon of baking soda and half a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide. We can then use this mixture at least one day in a week. This is very useful to reduce tartar and stain.
We should brush our teeth twice a day as a way of caring for teeth –in the morning after breakfast and at night.
- When we brush our teeth in the morning, it helps in removing plaque formed during the night since calculus develops after breakfast and bacteria activities occur at night.
- Brushing teeth at night helps in cleaning the surface of the tooth from food debris.
- Brush your teeth with little strokes by giving pressure to the tooth using the toothbrush with round tips to the surface of the tooth.
- The soft bristle of the toothbrush should reach the surface of the mouth.Here are some steps you should follow when brushing your teeth:
- Brush the teeth from the outer part of the front of the teeth gradually,
- After this, brush the internal part of the lower section of the teeth,
- Then brush the inner surface of the upper section of the teeth. Then the chewing surface gently,
- To end with the process move the bristles of the toothbrush to a complete section of the tongue to reduce deposits forming a plaque.
Dental Hygiene and Your Child’s Teeth
- Caring for teeth for your baby should begin the very first point after birth. This can be done by wiping the baby’s gums with a soft, damp cloth after the baby is fed before the teeth appear.
- When the teeth appear, use a soft children’s toothbrush on them twice a day.
- At school age, you can start using fluoride toothpaste in small amounts since fluoride helps in making teeth strong by hardening the tooth enamel. Fluoride is contained in most our drinking water and if your water doesn’t contain it, you can give fluoride tablets to your child at the age of six months.
- Cavities are majorly caused by taking a lot of sweet liquids and sugary snacks or foods.
- Prevent cavities in your child’s teeth through by regularly cleaning them.
- It’s also important to consider what you eat and if you can, avoid sugary foods and drinks. Visit your dentist at least twice year with your child.
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