Everyone strives to keep their teeth healthy for as long as possible and it is no coincidence. Healthy teeth mean a good quality of life, excellent nutrition, mood and well-being. Patients are, respectively, feeling unwell, nutritional problems and bad mood. It is difficult to find a person who would be glad that he has a toothache, therefore keeping these little friends healthy until a ripe old age means maintaining the general level of health and good mood.
A person with healthy teeth is immediately visible by a wide, cheerful smile. But a person who has serious problems with this can smile, shyly covering his mouth with his hand so that no one will notice his not very healthy (or completely unhealthy) smile. Those who were able to maintain their health usually value this fact very much and try to monitor the condition of their teeth as long as possible.
How to keep teeth: what to do
Dental health is a very serious issue. Those who are accustomed to taking care of their health since childhood know that in order to keep their teeth strong, it is imperative to monitor their condition and never neglect the basic rules of oral hygiene. It would seem that all this is elementary, however, thanks to important care measures, even the biggest lovers of sweets can keep their teeth healthy. So: how to restore (maintain) oral health? For this, experts strongly recommend the following:
If you have any problems with the condition of the oral cavity (discoloration, unexpected injury, persistent pain), it is recommended to immediately, without delay, consult a dentist. However, even if, at first glance, everything is all right with a smile, you need to visit a doctor for a preventive examination at least twice a year.
How to keep your teeth healthy: what is bad for your teeth
In order to preserve the health of the oral cavity as long as possible, you need to know not only what is useful, but also what is harmful. So, what interferes with maintaining the health of the oral cavity and contributes to the destruction of enamel first, and then the tooth as a whole?
How to keep teeth strong and healthy to a ripe old age: practical recommendations
In order for your teeth to always be healthy and strong, you need, first of all, to regularly visit the dentist, without waiting for the pain to make itself felt. Many people have a negative attitude towards dentists "in the old fashioned way", because they associate the word "dentist" with pain. However, this point of view has absolutely no basis. time, with the development of modern dental technologies and the pharmaceutical industry, horrible drills with an unpleasant sound are a thing of the past, so it is no longer fashionable to be afraid of dentists, on the contrary, you can monitor your own health and the state of the oral cavity.
In order to clean the honey gaps with your teeth from food debris, write after taking using toothpicks or dental floss is recommended(the so-called "floss"). However, you should not use a toothpick or dental floss for its intended purpose in public places (cafes and restaurants), because it looks not very attractive and not at all aesthetically pleasing.
It is necessary to monitor proper nutrition, eat rationally and balanced, eat food rich in vitamins, minerals, nutrients. Lack of nutrients, vitamin deficiency always negatively affect the health of teeth and gums. The former are gradually destroyed and over time may even fall out if the food does not improve. And the gums from vitamin deficiency begin to bleed, dark spots appear on them.
In order to keep your teeth healthy until a ripe old age, it is necessary not only to properly care for them, but also to make certain adjustments to the usual way of life: reconsider the usual diet, completely abandon harmful bad habits... And then a beautiful smile will certainly delight you with its health and whiteness right up to old age. The main thing is to be attentive to your own health, to prevent serious illnesses, to strengthen the immune system and to understand that health is a thing that cannot be bought for any money. It is much easier to initially monitor the condition of the teeth than to treat them later, affected by the wrong attitude towards them.
Thanks to serious progress in the field of medicine, it is possible not only to treat teeth, but also to radically change their appearance for the better or even insert strong snow-white implants. Despite this, people try to keep their teeth healthy, because some dental procedures have side effects and are expensive.
Preventing the occurrence of dental diseases does not require a lot of time and money. Following some simple rules is one of the best ways to keep your teeth healthy.
Nutrition
Improper nutrition negatively affects the condition of not only internal organs, but also teeth and gums. These products are especially bad for enamel:
- sweets and sweet drinks;
- roasted peanuts and seeds;
- dried fruits;
- coffee.
Sour citrus fruits can also be added to the list, but it is worth noting that, on the one hand, their acidity harms the enamel, and on the other hand, they vitaminize and prevent the development of pathogens.
Important! You should not completely abandon all of the listed products. It is enough to consume them in smaller quantities.
Vitamins and minerals are essential for maintaining healthy teeth. It is not necessary to purchase special complexes at the pharmacy; you can limit yourself to improving the diet. Take into account the table with useful substances and the products in which they are contained.
Table. Beneficial elements / vitamins and substances in which they are contained.
| Name | Products |
|---|---|
| Plum, carrot, green peas, cabbage |
| Beef, pork, seafood, buckwheat, bananas |
| Sauerkraut, apples, black currant |
| Butter, herring, mackerel, eggs |
| Shrimp, baked goods, soy, peanuts |
| Raisins, dried apricots, liver |
| Cherries, grapes, onions, pineapples |
Attention! Consume as much clean water as possible. It prevents dehydration and therefore produces enough saliva to fight off harmful microorganisms.
- Observe the temperature regime of food. The consumption of hot and icy foods is bad for enamel, increasing its sensitivity, and gums.
- Avoid foods that are too hard. Tooth enamel can be easily damaged by eating these products.
- Drink sugary drinks through a straw. Manipulation will reduce the activity of negative effects on the enamel.
- Avoid strict diets. An imbalance in the diet provokes the occurrence of dental diseases.
- Chew food thoroughly. Absorbing food in this way improves blood circulation in the gums and reduces the risk of gum disease.
Oral Care Tools
In order to care for the oral cavity, it is enough to stock up on the following:
- brush;
- paste;
- rinse aid;
- dental floss.
Choosing the right toothbrush is essential. It should have good quality bristles that will not fall out or have an unpleasant chemical odor. Conventional manual brushes come in soft, medium and hard bristles. If the enamel and gums are sensitive, a soft one should be preferred. Otherwise, medium-hard bristles will do.
Attention! Use a stiff bristled manual brush only with the approval of your dentist. The danger of its use is that it is capable of gradually destroying tooth enamel.
In addition to manual brushes, you can buy ionic, ultrasonic and electric brushes. The former are suitable for sensitivity. The latter will be especially useful for those whose teeth are prone to calculus growth. - almost universal option. They should not only be used by people with weak enamel and gum disease.
The paste must also be selected according to the type of teeth and gums. In case of bleeding and weakness of the gums, it is necessary to use pastes with an antiseptic effect, which contain extracts of medicinal herbs and essential oils. Whitening agents with micro granules are required to whiten enamel and remove tartar. - a universal option.
All mouthwashes have the same set of properties. They freshen breath, strengthen enamel and create a barrier against pathogens. If the line contains products with different effects, you need to take into account your type of teeth and gums when selecting.
Flossing is optional, but advisable, especially if there are visible gaps between the teeth. It helps to gently remove stuck food.
Attention! You should not replace dental floss with toothpicks, as they can injure your gums and provoke infection.
Hygiene principles
You need to brush your teeth at least twice a day (before going to bed and after waking up). Manipulations will avoid the development of pathogens in the oral cavity due to the antiseptic components contained in toothpastes. To consolidate the effect, use a rinse aid.
There are a number of rules to follow every time you brush your teeth.
- Give this process at least two minutes.
- Move from the roots of the teeth, grasping the gums. Movements in the opposite direction negatively affect the state of the oral cavity, since food debris is clogged under the gums and in the spaces between the teeth.
- Remember to brush your tongue. For this, a special pad is provided on the back of the brush.
Mouthguard for protecting teeth
Important! Chlorinated water can also be attributed to provocateurs of dental diseases. You should rinse the dishes thoroughly after using detergents and use mouthwash with fluoride after visiting the pool or drinking unfiltered water.
Dental procedures
You need to make a visit to the dentist's office at least once a year, even if there is no cause for concern. There is a risk group that includes people susceptible to dental diseases. They should be checked by the dentist as often as possible.
The group includes those who notice these conditions of the body and negative changes in themselves:
- bad breath;
- the acquisition of the curvature of the teeth;
- susceptibility to respiratory disease;
- bleeding gums;
- noticeable gaps between the teeth;
- discharge of the gums from the teeth;
- pregnancy.
Attention! It is also necessary to visit the dentist frequently with recurrent painful sensations and high sensitivity of the enamel.
Easier to prevent than to cure
Most of the dental disease occurs due to neglect of basic rules of care. Therefore, taking into account all the recommendations of dentists is the best prevention of diseases. The rules must be followed even after treatment or major dental restoration in order to prevent relapses.
Video - How to keep teeth healthy
Strong and well-groomed teeth are an indicator of the health of the whole organism as a whole. It is not for nothing that the Arabs claim that "death comes through the mouth," and Galen, a famous ancient Roman scientist, said that the state of the oral cavity determines human health. If any diseases develop in the mouth or foci of infection are formed, first of all, the work of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted, and after that other systems and organs also suffer. This is due to the fact that food is thoroughly crushed with teeth before entering the stomach. After removing teeth or due to their disease, a person may have difficulty chewing normally. Accordingly, the load on the digestive system increases, which is forced to digest too large pieces of food.
If the teeth are healthy, then they exert a pressure of 120 kg / cm2 on the chewed food. If the teeth are sick, or if a person has improperly installed implants in the oral cavity, then this figure drops to 10 kg / cm2. Therefore, you need to take care of your teeth carefully and, most importantly, systematically.
For different people, teeth can be quite different in shape, structure and size. In each case, the primary condition of the teeth is determined by heredity. However, most people are born with a healthy dentition. But not everyone can properly dispose of such a gift from nature, not caring enough for and taking care of it. Over time, under the influence of bad habits and non-observance of preventive measures to keep teeth in good condition, all kinds of dental diseases develop. And although they do not pose a direct threat to a person's life, they can pretty much undermine his health.
Scientists have long established the relationship between dental diseases and diseases of the heart and blood vessels, the digestive system, anemia, leukemia, gynecological diseases, atherosclerosis, keratitis, arthritis, skin diseases, sleep disorders (in particular insomnia), neuroses, mental disorders, etc. Diseases of various organs, in turn, can provoke the emergence of a focus of infection in the oral cavity.
Nutrition as a Factor for Keeping Teeth Strong and Healthy
The first thing you need to pay attention to in order to keep your teeth strong and healthy is your own diet. To keep teeth in good condition, it includes a sufficient amount of foods rich in vitamins C and D, as well as calcium, fluoride and phosphorus.
The main source of calcium for humans are all kinds of milk products, fish, legumes, nuts, seeds (sesame, almonds), as well as green vegetables (parsley, basil, savoy cabbage). The bioavailability of calcium can improve dairy products and animal proteins.
Phosphorus enters the body along with fish and other seafood.
A person receives fluoride mainly from drinking water (under normal conditions, 80% of the substance enters the body with water, with food - only 20%). Fluoride is found in large quantities in water from artesian wells or underground sources. Water taken from open sources cannot meet the daily requirement for fluoride, as well as fluoride toothpastes. In general, foods contain very little fluoride. The exceptions are green tea and sea fish. It should also be remembered that an excess of a substance also poses a threat to health. In particular, it provokes the development of fluorosis, which is accompanied by the loss of tooth tissue. Therefore, it is necessary to take fluoride preparations with great care.
- drinks that contain phosphoric acid;
- sweets;
- foods high in starches.
The habit of snacking many times during the day also has a negative effect on teeth. Therefore, the daily diet should be balanced, and the food should include substances necessary to maintain the health of teeth and the whole body in general.
Compliance with the rules of personal hygiene as a factor in keeping teeth strong and healthy
To maintain healthy teeth, they must be cleaned twice a day: in the morning after eating and in the evening before bedtime (this is due to the fact that the protective properties of saliva are reduced at night). The jaws should be open during cleaning. The procedure starts from the top row, while the brush is held at an angle of 45 degrees to the surface of the tooth. On an area consisting of 2-3 teeth, about 10 cleaning movements are made in the direction from the base of the tooth to its cutting edge. Holding the brush perpendicular to the cutting edge, they clean the back surface of the anterior dentition, then move on to the chewing surface of the molars. The lower row of teeth is cleaned in the same way. Finally, you need to massage the gums. To do this, closing the jaws, perform a circular motion with a brush, while capturing both the teeth and the gums.
In addition to the teeth, they also clean the cheeks and tongue, since a large number of microbes collect on them.
The toothbrush is changed at least once every two to three months. When choosing it, preference is given to soft brushes and brushes of medium hardness with bristles made of artificial fibers (nylon). They are much more hygienic than natural bristle brushes. Before starting the procedure for brushing your teeth, wash your hands, rinse your mouth, and rinse the brush. These measures help reduce the risk of infection in the mouth.
The toothpaste needs to be changed periodically, since the teeth get used to the same composition of the components and stop responding to their action.
After each meal, its remnants must be removed with dental floss, and the throat must be rinsed with water (this procedure is especially useful after eating sweet or sour foods). Chewing gum helps remove soft plaque from teeth and absorb toxins. However, it should not be chewed for more than 15 minutes.
It is also recommended to use an irrigator for the oral cavity, using a water jet to remove food debris from the spaces between the teeth, as well as from the spaces between the teeth and gums. In addition, the jet irrigator allows for a pulsating massage of the gums with a jet of water. As a result, blood circulation in them is noticeably improved.
Preventive examinations and timely dental treatment
Even healthy teeth need periodic check-ups by a specialist. It is optimal to come to the dentist's office at least twice a year. During such a visit, the doctor can remove a stone from the surface of the teeth, cover the teeth with a special protective compound, and whiten them.
Balanced nutrition, oral hygiene, prevention and treatment of dental diseases, as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle are the main components that allow you to maintain strong and healthy teeth until a ripe old age.
Usually, most people schedule a visit to the dentist only when the "X" hour has already struck and toothache they are extremely worried. It is at this moment that we suddenly begin to unexpectedly and seriously think about the question how to keep teeth strong and healthy, and even preferably for a long period of time.
During such examinations, the doctor may pay attention to some changes in the condition of your oral cavity, which are not yet painful. It is at this moment that the timely treatment process will be as painless as possible.
We urge you not to believe the statements that a person can inherit “bad teeth”. Such speeches are made by those who themselves refuse to take proper care of their teeth.
It should be remembered once and for all that responsibility for wholly and completely lies with you, and it depends only on you whether they will be strong, serve you for a long time, or you will constantly experience a feeling of toothache. So that all the "dental troubles", and their list is quite extensive, bypassed you, it is recommended to take care of the prophylaxis of your teeth in time.
This, in addition to oral hygiene, can also include proper nutrition.
When to start cleaning
From the moment the baby's first teeth appear, the process of caring for them should begin. At first, he can limit himself to wiping them with just boiled water. First, with gauze dipped in it, then with specialized brushes, putting it on a finger, the parent cleans the baby's teeth.
Upon reaching one and a half years, the child should have his own real children's toothbrush. It is necessary to strictly monitor so that the child does not forget to carry out cleansing your teeth twice a day, similar to an adult, but using a paste for your age. For babies up to three years old, a fluoride-free paste is recommended, since it is highly likely that the child will simply swallow the paste.
Teeth brushing rules
Not only the quantity, but also the quality of the cleansing process has a beneficial effect on maintaining them in a healthy state. The recommended order of the teeth cleaning process is as follows:
1. Cleaning the surface of the teeth from the outside. The bristle angle to the tooth surface should be 45 degrees. The nature of the movements should be similar to sweeping. for teeth, it should be carried out on the left and right, on both jaws.
2. Then carry out a circular cleaning of the outer surface of the teeth. When cleaning, it is necessary to make movements in a circle, moving in parallel along the row of teeth.
3. Then comes the cleaning of the inner surface. The nature of the movements is similar to the movements from the first point, they should be performed on both sides of the upper and lower jaw.
4. At the end of the cleaning procedure, the chewing surfaces of the teeth are cleaned. The nature of the movements in this case is reciprocating.
The time interval that should cover the entire cleaning procedure should be at least five minutes. This is quite enough for the components of the toothpaste to have a beneficial effect on the teeth.
What is the best way to rinse?
Don't forget about gymnastics. The morning process of cleaning your teeth can be accompanied by the following procedure. Rinse your mouth with cold water for three minutes. Performing this simple procedure regularly can significantly improve the strength of your teeth and salivation.
By rinsing, the muscles of the lips and cheeks are strengthened. Rinsing regularly after each meal is ideal. This can be called an excellent preventive measure against tooth decay and gum disease, since rinsing helps to remove food particles trapped between the teeth.
The best option for rinsing the mouth will be specialized dental elixirs, but if they are not available, ordinary boiled water will do.
Nutrition for teeth.
Proper nutrition, and also a well-balanced diet, is a great way to keep your teeth healthy. The list of healthy foods is extensive, here are just a few of them: apples, carrots, celery, kiwi, sesame seeds, pure water, fish, natural yogurt, walnuts.
It is desirable to keep the consumption of sweets and flour to a minimum. These products form an acidic environment in the oral cavity, and this is an excellent residence for bacteria that erode enamel. Over time, this all leads to tooth decay and gum disease.
White teeth and no bad breath
Here are some simple rules for keeping your teeth attractive.
1. Say yes to foods such as vegetables, fruits, cheese, cottage cheese. Say “no” to all sweet and starchy foods (highly recommended).
2. Clean your teeth regularly, twice a day. Rinse your mouth after every meal.
3. The best option, in the absence of any restrictions, would be to choose a brush of medium hardness. She cleans well teeth and does not injure the gums.
4. To clean the outer, inner surfaces of the teeth in the direction from the gums to the top of the tooth. This will fully contribute to the optimal dental gaps and the elimination of food debris.
5. As for the choice of toothpaste, then the question is quite complicated. The assortment of pastes for sale on offer today is extremely large. I myself prefer pastes with various medicinal herbs, fluoride, calcium.
1. Pour two teaspoons of dried strawberry leaves with a glass of hot water. We keep a quarter of an hour in a water bath, let it brew for 60 minutes, filter.
2. A small amount of fresh chamomile flowers must be poured with a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour, drain.
3. Pour half a liter of boiling water over two teaspoons of dry mint, insist for one hour, then strain.
4. Grind oak bark and pour one tablespoon of this mixture with a glass of boiling water. We boil for half an hour in a water bath, after it cools down, we filter.
Help yourself with toothache
Some toothache problem situations can be eliminated by doing. The order of the exercises is as follows.
1. We put pressure on the artery under the lower jaw, on the side where the diseased tooth is located.
2. A similar pressure is applied to the projection site of the temporomandibular joint.
3. With several fingers, we perform strong pressure on the temples.
4. We make continuous pressure with three fingers on the cheek over the aching tooth.
When the above self-massage course does not bring tangible results, then you can try.
1. Pour the onion peel from a small onion with 1.5 cups of boiling water. Let it brew. When the temperature of the infusion becomes acceptable, to take it in your mouth, we collect and hold for twenty minutes. Then we spit it out and carry out the procedure again. After 3-4 such manipulations, the pain should subside.
2. Pour 0.5 liters of vodka into one second pack of calamus root. In a place protected from sunlight, let it brew for 10 days. In parallel with this, pour 15 grams of propolis with the same amount of vodka and let it brew for 10 days. After this period, strain everything, mix four teaspoons from each tincture. It takes at least five minutes to rinse with this infusion. The key to success here lies in the regularity of the rinse.
3. The following recipe will be helpful to improve gum health. Mix equal amounts of chopped oak bark, chamomile flowers, calendula, birch and nettle leaves. Pour two teaspoons of this raw material with a glass of boiling water and let it brew for an hour. Drink half a glass twice a day.
4. Take two teaspoons of calendula flowers, sage leaves, fill them with a glass of boiling water. We insist for half an hour, then we filter. Rinsing is recommended after meals, three times a day.
5. Sprinkle the paste with the root of the calamus crushed to a powdery mass with each brushing of your teeth.
Recipes number 3, 4, 5 must be used in a comprehensive manner, for at least a month.
Summing up, I note that the question of whether how to keep teeth should worry you initially, before the onset of toothache. Only then all possible dental troubles will bypass you.
After reading these tips, you will say: we know most of them. The problem is that you need to not only know them, but also fulfill them ALL.
1. Visit your dentist regularly
Perhaps, since childhood, you hate the very thought of a dental chair, and it is easier to conquer the North Pole than to enter the dentist's office. However, since the years when you wore bows or short pants, a lot has changed, and especially in dentistry. And the technique is completely different than before, and the pain relief is now at the level - you are unlikely to experience the old horror again. So it makes sense to overcome childhood fears.
How often should I see my dentist? Experience shows that it takes at least six months for dental problems to appear. Therefore, a visit to the dentist twice a year is what you need. Prevention and regular monitoring by a specialist will help eliminate problems in the germ, save a lot of money and nerves, including dental ones.
2. Brush your teeth regularly and correctly
What is it for? In order to get rid of bacterial plaque and food debris.
Bacteria are the cause of the vast majority of dental and gum disease. More than twenty types of pathogenic bacteria that live in the oral cavity - mainly streptococci and staphylococci - feed on food debris lingering in the mouth and secrete lactic acid, which eats away tooth enamel. By the way, bad breath is also a "merit" of bacteria.
You should brush your teeth with a brush and toothpaste twice a day. The brush removes bacterial plaque that settles on the teeth and food debris, the paste kills bacteria and, by neutralizing the acids they release, thereby strengthens the enamel of the teeth. Another point, be sure to brush your teeth after eating. And not immediately. The fact is that while eating, the enamel softens under the influence of acids, it must take up to half an hour before it returns to its normal state. And immediately after the end of the meal, rinse your mouth thoroughly with boiled water. By the way, this should be done after EVERY meal.
Now about the cleaning itself. Just waving the brush in your mouth won't be enough. It is necessary to carefully work out all surfaces of the teeth. Dentists have been arguing about which cleaning technique is the only correct one for many years. But, on which everyone agrees, the movement of the brush should go from the base of the tooth to the cutting edge. Moreover, the cutting edge is cleaned at the very end. The optimal time for brushing your teeth is about two minutes of vigorous movements. Excessive zeal is also bad, you can erase the enamel.
3. Choose the right brush and paste
What for? To use them effectively and not harm yourself. A toothbrush must have artificial bristles with rounded tips, an atraumatic head, a comfortable handle, under your hand and, most importantly, the stiffness of the bristles must correspond to the state of the enamel and gums.
Toothpaste must also be chosen wisely. Here again, look at the condition of the teeth and gums, choosing for yourself what will be more useful. For example, if you have hypersensitivity, you cannot use highly abrasive toothpastes, you can harm yourself. The so-called "pastes for the whole family" will not do any harm, but they will also be of little benefit, since it is similar to the average temperature in a hospital, because each person has a different situation in the mouth, and everyone should also have their own toothpaste.
4. Clean your entire mouth
Bacteria that destroy teeth live not only on the teeth and gums, they are no less comfortable on the surfaces of the palate, cheeks, tonsils, and especially on the tongue.
Therefore, we clean everything we get to. But it is better not to use a toothbrush for this. There are special brushes for cleaning the tongue, and an ordinary teaspoon will do. And here all kinds of rinsing will help, including special elixirs that destroy bacteria, and at the same time freshen the breath. You can also try the miracle of modern technology - irrigators, devices for rinsing, rinsing or irrigation of the oral cavity with strong, precisely directed streams of water.
5. Observe sanitary rules
A modern symbol of the joint life of a man and a woman is two toothbrushes in one glass. Two, not one! You don't need alien bacteria at all, so never use someone else's brush - even someone who is very close to you. For the same reason, you should not eat someone else's spoon or drink from an unwashed mug. You need to take special care of the hygiene of children's mouths, because from birth they are free from bacteria - tooth destroyers. They are brought in by their own parents. It is enough to lick a spoon after the child, and then put it in his mouth again. However, our own, "native" pathogenic bacteria are also unnecessary for us. Therefore, keep all items necessary for oral care, clean and dry - in a humid environment, bacteria "harvested" from your mouth, actively multiply. It would be good to dip the brush from time to time in a disinfectant solution for a short time, and change it to a new one every 2-4 months.
6. Use floss
Most of us are familiar with these simple devices like dental floss. If the teeth grow evenly and tightly enough, the spaces between the teeth and the flanks of the teeth are out of reach even for very "advanced" toothbrushes. Meanwhile, these nooks and crannies are very attractive to bacteria. Caries developing at the point of contact of two teeth can only be seen by a dentist, and sometimes it is not easy to treat it.
Flosses, meanwhile, are helping to get to the most difficult-to-reach protected areas between the teeth, cleaning out food debris and depriving bacteria of their chances of survival. Use floss before brushing. Also, use them after every meal. For use in public places, a flosset was invented - a compact and easy-to-use dental floss.
7. Use toothpicks carefully
It is not always possible to use a floss or rinse your mouth after lunch, not to mention a full brushing of your teeth. A toothpick will help out. Fortunately, most restaurants and cafes have learned to include in the number of items that must be on the tables (salt - pepper - napkins), a package of sharp wooden sticks. Wooden toothpicks are preferable - they protect the enamel - but you can also use plastic ones. But in order not to damage the tissues of the periodontal - the ligaments of the gums and teeth - the toothpick must be used very carefully and it is better to replace it with a flosset.
8. Protect teeth from acids and sugars
A lot is destructive for teeth, even what seems at first glance to be the healthiest food. Freshly squeezed fruit juices, for example, contain concentrated fruit acids that attack enamel. What can we say about carbonated drinks! But there is nothing better for bacteria (and therefore worse for teeth) than sweet sucking candies - caramel, toffee, lollipops. When they are in the mouth for a long time, it creates ideal conditions for the reproduction of pathogenic microflora.
But chocolate is much less dangerous for teeth. Its base ingredient, cocoa beans, contains substances that inhibit the growth of bacteria. Therefore, the harmful effect of sugar, which is also a part of chocolate, is neutralized by the action of these substances. True, the most useful for teeth is dark chocolate made from natural cocoa beans.
Oddly enough, spicy dishes are also good for teeth - they cause active salivation. Saliva washes the mouth, washing away food debris. In addition, saliva contains lysozymes - natural enzymes that destroy bacteria. Good for teeth and cheese. If you eat a piece of hard cheese after the caramel, the effect of sugar will be neutralized.
In addition, cheese is a source of calcium, which is necessary for the entire body, including teeth.
Teeth darken from tea and coffee, and we are used to considering these drinks to be harmful. But in fact, black tea perfectly strengthens tooth enamel and regulates the acid-base balance in the mouth. And natural coffee, brewed from roasted beans, has an antibacterial effect, destroying some microorganisms, including the main causative agent of caries - mutating streptococcus.
9. Eat right
Strong teeth will not be if the body lacks fluoride and calcium. Calcium is absorbed with the help of vitamin D, which comes from food or is synthesized by the body on its own under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, we take a pen and write down: veal, poultry, eggs, butter and sea fish - a source of vitamin D; yoghurts, cheeses, spinach and broccoli - a source of calcium; black tea, wholemeal bread, and fish contain fluoride. We include these products in our regular diet - and we can handle everything.
If there is still not enough calcium or fluoride in the body, we use dietary supplements and vitamin-mineral complexes. Fortunately, now their choice is especially rich.
10. Regulate the load on the teeth
Strong mechanical pressure destroys teeth, so forget about the Nutcracker career. To chop nuts, there are special forceps, but your teeth have a different purpose. Even ordinary threads can become the cause of tooth decay, if there is a habit of constantly biting them with the same teeth, as some amateur dressmakers do.
The habit of clenching the teeth too much is dangerous, and even more so - creaking them: this leads to abrasion of the enamel. Sometimes it happens in a dream. But this case is not hopeless either - there are special mouth guards that are put on the teeth before going to bed. They will protect. But feasible loads are necessary for the teeth and gums. Don't be afraid to chew raw vegetables, or try to chop and grind food unnecessarily.
