protect your teeth dfw tx

Everyday Ways to Improve Dental Health

Protect Your Teeth While You Still Have Them

protect your teeth dfw tx

Unless you have a lot of extra money to spend, it is a good idea to protect your teeth so that you can keep them for as long as possible. As many as 30 percent of people in America over 65 do not have any natural teeth left. By taking care to improve dental health now, you may be able to keep your natural teeth much longer than that. 

 

Start with Good Oral Hygiene

There are many kinds of bacteria in your mouth – about 500 different kinds. They are constantly forming plaque on your teeth after each meal. By practicing good oral hygiene, you can help protect your teeth from premature and unnecessary cavities. You want to be sure to brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time and then floss between your teeth every night before you go to bed. 

The bad bacteria multiply and convert sugar and food into an acid. This acid attacks and corrodes the enamel on your teeth – leading to cavities and gum disease. With good oral hygiene, you can minimize the effect of the acid.

 

Be Aware of Gum Disease

If you have not taken good care of your teeth up until this time, you need to watch for symptoms of gum disease. The key symptoms include bleeding of your gums and red or inflamed gums. If you have these symptoms, it is the early stages of gum disease. It is an indication that you need better oral care. Practicing brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily will usually help you eliminate gum disease. 

Gum disease is a more serious problem than many people realize. It can lead to significant health problems that could even shorten your life. In recent years, researchers have discovered that the bacteria that cause gum disease are responsible for at least other 50 diseases. The primary factor is inflammation, which this bacteria causes. The diseases include cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, infertility, rheumatoid arthritis, aging, dementia, many forms of cancer, and many more. 

 

Periodontitis

As gum disease progressively gets worse in the absence of good oral health, it becomes periodontitis. The CDC claims that almost 50 percent of adults over 30 have some form of periodontitis. 

At this stage, pockets are formed along the gum line, and the bad bacteria produce colonies – out of reach of your toothbrush. The acid that the bacteria produce now starts attacking not only your gums, but also the structures that keep your teeth in place, and your jaw bone. If periodontitis is allowed to continue, your teeth will become loose and start to fall out. It is because of this disease – which is preventable – that so many seniors do not have their natural teeth. 

 

Eating Right

What you eat also greatly affects the condition of your gums and teeth. The bacteria produce acid every time you eat or drink something sugary – especially soda. The acid takes the minerals out of your enamel which weakens it. Eating healthy foods helps to remineralize the enamel, making them strong. It is an ongoing process. 

The right kind of foods will also strengthen your immune system, enabling it to fight gum disease. This will also make it stronger to be able to help fight against oral cancer. 

Soda and other sugary drinks are also a serious problem for your teeth and gums. You can do much to improve dental health by greatly reducing the sodas and sugary foods you drink and eat. Sodas contain strong acids, too, as well as up to nine teaspoons of sugar per can. 

 

Quit Smoking

Two-third of all cases of oral cancer is caused by smoking and other forms of tobacco. The nicotine in e-cigs is also a carcinogen. Tobacco hurts your oral health because it weakens your immune system by reducing the flow of blood in your mouth and gums. 

 

Keep the Saliva Flowing

Another important key to having a healthy mouth is to ensure that you constantly have a good supply of saliva. It also helps to keep the bad bacteria under control. A dry mouth can be caused by diuretics such as coffee, tea, and other sugary foods. Medications can also cause it, as well as some diseases – such as diabetes. If medications are causing it, talk to your doctor about changing your prescription, because it can impact the health of your gums and teeth. 

 

Get Regular Dental Check-Ups

Getting regular dental check-ups can also help you to have better oral health. A dentist can correct problems before they become severe – and costly. 

If you live in the Farmers branch TX area, you can start to improve dental health by making a dentist visit at the Champion dental office. We perform many dental services and can help you get on the right track with teeth cleaning to avoid gum disease. For more information, or to set up an appointment, you can call (214) 747-0763.

 

Dental Health for Young Adults

Why young adults need ongoing dental care

People of every age have certain dental needs and each group requires some unique dental care. The nature of the oral cavity changes over the years. For young adults between the ages of 19 to 24, who has just left home to live on their own, or are in a college dorm or military barracks, you should know that if your teeth are going to stay healthy, you need to be aware of those changes and the dental care needed to meet them. 

 

Dental care for young adults

Developing Good Oral Hygiene Habits

Failing to take care of your teeth properly can ruin your smile quickly. Not only will it lead to cavities, but it will also lead to gum disease – which can be costly to repair. A lack of good oral hygiene is the main cause of the development of gum disease. You can help prevent dental problems by developing a habit of brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time and flossing – preferably before you go to sleep.

After you eat sweets or anything with sugar or acid in it, you should rinse your mouth out with water afterward. Avoid brushing your teeth after consuming these foods for at least 20 minutes because the acid softens your enamel and brushing them too soon can cause tiny pieces of enamel to break off. 

Cavities

Cavities are caused by the acid that is naturally found in your mouth. While still small, getting a cavity filled is a simple task – and inexpensive. If not treated, it will lead to a sensitive tooth, and then it may require a dental crown or you may need a tooth extraction. If it is extracted, it will require a dental implant and a dental crown, or a dental bridge, replace it – very expensive. 

You have several choices of materials when you get dental fillings. White fillings are very popular today because they help your teeth to look healthy and no one will know you needed one. They will last between five to seven years. Amalgam fillings are cheaper but they will last a long time.

Wisdom Teeth

You can expect your wisdom teeth to come in between the ages of 17 and 25. They may or may not be a problem, but having a dentist check your wisdom teeth and their position is a good idea. An x-ray will need to be taken and the dentist will be able to tell if they can be left alone or if one or more should be removed. Wisdom teeth can come in sideways, be impacted (buried in bone), and cause other problems such as developing an infection or gum disease. It is best, and safer, to have a wisdom tooth extraction before age 25 because it becomes more complicated as you get older.

Gum Disease

Gum disease is a problem that starts small but can quickly become a very big and expensive dental problem. The first symptoms of gum disease are gums that are inflamed and bleed when you brush or floss them. With regular daily brushing and flossing, you can eliminate it at this stage. 

If your oral hygiene does not improve, it will become periodontitis – a much more serious problem. Gum disease is caused by bacteria in your mouth that get out of control. It gets into your gums through the tartar (hardened plaque) on your teeth. The acid irritates the gums and starts an immune reaction that will not stop until treated by a dentist. 

The symptoms of periodontitis include receding gums, spaces developing between your teeth, pus at the gum line, pain when you bite, loose teeth, and your teeth may even fall out. These symptoms occur because your immune system attacks your gums, the support structures for your teeth, and the jawbone. 

Eating for Healthy Teeth

It can be easy to live off of fast food between these ages. If you are in college, you naturally want something easy to fix or obtain because time is always an issue. The problem with this is that your teeth need healthy foods to be able to fight off gum disease and cavities. 

Several types of food will ruin your teeth quickly. If you eat a lot of foods that are high in sugar, it will promote the growth of the bacteria in your mouth that cause cavities and gum disease. Since the bacteria feed on sugar, drinking sodas and specialized coffees all day will quickly make the matter worse. 

In addition to sugar, sodas and fruit juices also contain acid. Along with the acid from the bacteria, it will erode the enamel faster and cause cavities sooner. The acid also demineralizes some of the minerals out of the enamel. Eating a healthy diet helps to remineralize your teeth with the needed minerals and keeps them strong. If you have spots on your teeth that are chalky white, your teeth are demineralizing faster than they are remineralizing. which means tooth decay has started. 

Smoking

Lighting up that cigarette is going to do more than stain your teeth. Nicotine also reduces the flow of blood in your gums, which also reduces the effectiveness of your gum’s immune system to fight off gum disease and oral cancer. Many people who smoke or use tobacco products have gum disease and they have it worse than people who do not smoke.

Smoking and Teeth

Alcohol

Alcohol will also hurt your teeth. Red wine will stain them, and alcohol, in general, will dry out your mouth. Your saliva will normally help to reduce the acid and bacteria on your teeth, but a dry mouth enables more bacteria and acid to develop above normal levels in your mouth.

Women’s Issues

When young women are going through their period or are pregnant, there are changes taking place in the hormone levels that will affect their teeth and gums. You may develop gum disease during these occasions and dental visits are recommended (especially when pregnant) to keep it under control. 

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