For the smile that winks

There is more to a dazzling dentition than brushing your teeth daily. You also need to: See your dentist at least twice a year. Prevention is better than cure. He/she is in a position to spot and attend to teeth issues before they get out of hand.

Eat well 
Other than strengthening your jaws and teeth, a healthy diet keeps your mouth well-lubricated and strengthens your gums. Milk is known to strengthen both your jaws and teeth.

Water your teeth
That is, take lots of water. This helps keep your mouth hydrated enough to facilitate the natural teeth-cleaning process.

Go ahead and chew
But only if the gum is dental- friendly. Pick the sugar-free gum that has dentistry approval. This will help you clean up during the day- when it may not be convenient to use toothpaste.

Get flossing
There are places your toothbrush bristles never reach. This is when the floss comes in handy. Flossing (especially before bedtime) keeps decay away from these tight spots. A fluoride rinse helps strengthen your teeth’s outer enamel as it helps prevent tooth decay. Let your chemist guide you as you purchase your mouth rinse. Follow the mouth-rinsing instructions on the label thereafter.

Cut down on soda and other fizzy drinks
The citric and phosphoric acids are not only un-healthy for you and your baby, they also contain elements that react with the teeth enamel, washing it away. This paves way for uncomfortable dentine sensitivity and cavities.

Alcohol no-no
Do you want a brilliant child? Ditch alcohol, beer, wine and all. The other reason is that it irritates your gum, tongue and mouth generally. Alcohol is linked to slow healing after dental surgery. It increases chances of tooth decay and predisposes you to gum disease and mouth cancers.

Kiss smoking goodbye including secondary smoke
Tobacco contains a staining agent, which takes effect on your teeth when you smoke. Smoking has as well been linked to oral cancer and myriad pregnancy complications.

END: PG 48 /10