BEST 5 PRACTICES FOR PREVENTIVE DENTAL CARE

One of the first things people notice about us is our teeth. Missing teeth, especially in the front are noticeable. Even if you don’t care about how you look, tooth decay can be painful. Loss of teeth can severely limit what you can eat. Tooth loss may require you to get dentures and for that you can visit Hall Cosmetic & Family Dentistry. However, dental care does not have to get expensive. The major cause of dental disease is bacteria. According to a paper published by researchers from the University of Oslo, more than 700 bacterial species reside in the mouth of adults. Some of these are thought to be beneficial. However, we do know for certain that some bacterial species present in the mouth are associated with dental problems such as gingivitis and tooth decay. We need to take care of our teeth daily to prevent any dental health issues. By reducing the amount of bacteria in our mouths we can prevent tooth disease. Here are some ways to prevent dental problems.rnBrushing your teeth. You should hopefully know that taking care of your teeth involves brushing them at least twice a day. You have to use a toothbrush and toothpaste containing fluoride. Think of toothpaste as a gel with three main components: abrasives, fluoride and detergents. The abrasives help remove plaque from our teeth. Think of plaque as a film that forms on the surface of teeth. It can harden and become difficult to remove. Fluoride helps preserve the enamel or outer surface of the teeth and it prevents the production of harmful bacterial acids. The detergents promote even dispersal of the toothpaste so it can clean uniformly throughout the mouth. Flossing daily. Another important measure of dental care is flossing. According to the Journal of the American Dental Association, less than half of Americans floss daily (almost everyone brushes). Flossing technique is also important. There are numerous pictorial demonstrations that you can find online which illustrate proper and effective flossing techniques. The American Dental Association also recommends flossing prior to brushing. This is because flossing removes food particles from between the teeth enabling the fluoride from toothpaste to get into the spaces between the teeth. Reducing sugar intake. Taking care of your overall health is also an effective way of taking care of your dental health. Reducing sugar intake not only prevents problems such as obesity and diabetes, but it also prevents dental problems. First of all sugary foods stick to the surfaces of teeth. Like us bacteria utilize sugar for energy. When bacteria metabolize sugars lactic acid is formed. The presence of acids is detrimental to the enamel of the teeth. By limiting the intake of sugary food and drinks you can prevent the buildup of acids in your mouth. Regular dental care. Visiting the dentist at least once a year may prevent dental disease. It is sometimes regarded as being expensive practice, but there are low cost clinics. There may be non-bacterial problems such as wisdom teeth that are growing at awkward angles. Dental X-rays can locate problems that we cannot observe in their early stages before they become worse. Furthermore dental cleanings using more specialized tools get rid of plaque in places that we usually are unable to get to with floss or toothbrushes. Bacteria are not the only cause of dental problems. As a result, dental care does not only involve controlling the bacteria in the mouth. This leaves us with one other essential practice. Taking calcium and vitamin D supplements. This is another example of how taking care of your overall health results in good dental care. Unfortunately, as we get older we begin to lose bone mass and density. This condition is called osteoperosis. This affects our jawbones, which anchor our teeth. In fact, studies have shown that osteoporosis is related to tooth loss. To prevent this, we should increase the consumption of foods rich in calcium and vitamin D. There are a variety of calcium rich foods including dairy products such as milk and cheese. Furthermore, you can get calcium fortified foods at the grocery that are rich in other vitamins such as calcium enriched orange juice. Good sources of vitamin D include egg yolks, cheese and beef liver. For those who suffer from lactose intolerance vitamins may provide these much needed dietary nutrients.