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| Oral hygiene |
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| 1) Bad breath can be a barrier to positive social interactions. To ensure that your breath is fresh, follow an oral care routine that includes brushing and using mouthwash and mouth spray to keep your tongue clean too. |
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| 2) If the surface of your tongue is whitish, it could be tongue bacteria. These plaque-like bacteria can cause bad breath. To avoid this, occasionally brush your tongue when you brush your teeth. |
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| Tooth alignment |
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| 3) Tooth alignment is best corrected during childhood. Corrections are still possible during adulthood, however. If you have a specific problem, such as an overbite, consider consulting a dentist who specializes in alignment correction. |
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| 4) Poor tooth alignment and dental ailments are closely connected. Poorly aligned teeth trap food particles, which can turn into plaque on the surface of your teeth and along your gum line. This turns into bacteria, which cause cavities and gum disease. |
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| Proper brushing habits |
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| 5) Foods rich in fiber act as a natural toothbrush, which cleans your intestines and also removes food and drink stains from your teeth. |
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| 6) Do you know when to change your toothbrush? The right time is when the bristles become splayed wider than the width of the base of the toothbrush. If you regularly brush three times a day, your toothbrush will wear out in about a month. A brush with splayed bristles may hurt your gums, and won't remove plaque effectively. |
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| 7) Each person brushes his teeth differently. Even when you think you've brushed your teeth thoroughly, you may have missed some areas. Disclosant tablets are a good way to check, as missed areas will turn red. Use disclosant tablets every few weeks to ensure that you are brushing properly. |
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| 8) Using an electric toothbrush is less tiring than using a manual one, and it enables consistent brushing. Electric toothbrushes are particularly good for people who can't brush well with regular toothbrushes. Read the instructions carefully before you use one. Electric toothbrushes are especially effective when followed by mouthwash or liquid tooth cleaner. |
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| 9) Painful or tingling teeth may be a sign of cavities, or a sign of an exposed dentine around your gum line. This condition is called dentine hypersensitivity. While there is no specific treatment for this condition, we recommend using toothpaste especially made for hypersensitivity. |
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| Gum disease |
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| 10) Plaque causes cavities and gum disease. Prevent cavities and gum disease by brushing regularly and often. Get into the habit of brushing after meals and before going to bed. After brushing, use dental floss and rinse to reach areas you can't get at with a toothbrush. |
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| 11) One of the greatest dangers of gum disease is that we are often unaware that we have it. Use a mirror to examine the condition of your gums often. Healthy gums are a pretty, pink color. If your gums are discolored, or the edges are rounded, you may have gum disease. |
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| 12) Gum disease is the major cause of tooth loss for people over 40. To keep your natural teeth throughout your life, it is important to keep your gums from becoming inflamed (the first sign of gum disease). Even if your gums are inflamed, you can make your gums healthy again by following a proper brushing regime. |
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| 13) Gum disease is commonly considered a condition affecting adults only, but recently, children have also become susceptible. Make sure your children are alright. Be sure to include plenty of solid foods in their diet, and to teach them proper brushing habits. |
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| Prenatal oral care |
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| 14) Newborn babies get all their nutrients from their pregnant mothers. The tissues that become teeth are also formed in utero. If you're an expectant mother, be sure to eat healthy, nutritious meals. After eating, be sure to brush your teeth, or at least gargle with mouthwash. |
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| 15) During the initial stages of pregnancy, it is unadvisable to get cavities filled. However, when you are near the end of pregnancy, your stomach is too big for you to recline comfortably. The period between the fifth to seventh months of pregnancy is the best time to receive dental treatment. |
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| 16) The tissues that are the foundation of a baby's permanent teeth are already being formed during the third and fourth months of pregnancy. Whether a person will spend an entire life with strong teeth is determined by how healthily his mother ate while she was pregnant. |
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| Oral care for toddlers |
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| 17) Mothers are responsible for their toddlers' oral care. Start thinking about your toddler's teeth before his teeth start growing (before he is 1 year old). Give your child a toothbrush as a toy to get him comfortable with the idea of brushing his teeth. |
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| 18) Children between 11/2 to 2 years old like brushing their own teeth, to try to imitate their parents. This is the optimal time to encourage children to develop a habit of enjoying the task of brushing their teeth. Mothers should help finish the job, to ensure that it is done properly. |
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| Oral care for children age 5 and up |
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| 19) Healthy growth and development is based on how well a child is able to chew his food. Good teeth and a strong, healthy jaw are critical to a child's growth. |
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| 20) Early detection and treatment of cavities is critical for children. This avoids unpleasant and painful experiences at the dentist. Also, early detection will lessen the extent of treatment required, which can help a child feel less afraid of dentists. |
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| 21) A fluorine or diammine silver fluoride coating can help prevent the development of cavities in your child's teeth. These coatings make teeth stronger and less cavity-prone. Ask your dentist for more information. |
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22) Children will develop weak jaws if they eat only what they like.
Try to avoid feeding your children too many soft foods like ice cream, sandwiches, spaghetti, and hamburgers. |
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| Sports and oral health |
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| 23) For children who aim to become skilled athletes, good oral health is important. For example, a healthy, proper bite enables you to exert extra power when you are exercising. |
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| 24) Many sports require you to keep your head still or to keep a low center of gravity. These postures require proper physical balance, which you can only achieve with a healthy, proper bite. Young athletes should have good teeth. |
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| 25) Poor tooth alignment and a poor bite make exerting physical strength impossible. In order to exert the force needed, athletes must be able to chew well to stimulate the brain, and to keep their jaws strong. |
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| 26) Maintaining good oral health should be especially important to people who enjoy sports. Don't just go to the dentist when your teeth hurt.. Visit a dentist regularly. |
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| Preventative oral care |
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| 27) To prevent cavities, as an alternative to fluorine coating, sealant can fill the gaps between your teeth. Ask your dentist for more information. |
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| 28) An increasing number of people get regular medical check-ups. Adopting a similar practice with dental check-ups is a good idea too. Consider your dentist a "home doctor for teeth," and get your teeth and gums checked regularly. |
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| Physical and oral health |
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| 29) Each person has about 14 billion brain cells, but we lose about 100,000 of these every day. People who stimulate their brains lose only 60,000 a day, while those who do not can lose up to 250,000 cells. Chewing can help stimulate the brain, so be sure to chew well. |
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| 30) People with diabetes, liver ailments, or hormone imbalances are said to be susceptible to dental and gum disease as well, because their immune systems have decreased resistance. If you have any of these conditions, be sure to treat them promptly to decrease your chances of developing any dental or oral health problems. |
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