By Jessica Sparkles
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. Its purpose is to increase dental awareness and stress the importance of regular dental care. That goes for teens too!
There’s more to having a great smile than just a positive attitude. Most of the time, it has a lot to do with how clean and white your teeth are. Having immaculately clean teeth will give you the confidence to smile more, knowing that your teeth are perfectly sparkling and free from problems such as tooth decay and cavities.
Good dental habits begun at an early age and continued throughout your life will ensure many years of bright smiles. At the same time, proper brushing and flossing can help prevent gum disease and tooth decay. Almost all dental problems are preventable, so the main factor in dental health is the meticulous practice of proper oral care techniques at home.
Did you know that before toothpaste came about, people used powdered chalk and even small twigs or tree branches to clean their teeth and gums? The earliest versions of toothpaste were made with baking soda to whiten the teeth. Fluoride, on the other hand, was added much later.
There has been a lot of debate on whether fluoride is healthy for the human body. The answer is, it can be used but only in very small quantities and it should not be swallowed. This is why children below three years of age are normally given toothpaste that doesn’t contain any fluoride in it because they have the tendency to swallow or even eat toothpaste when they brush their teeth.
To keep your teeth clean and cavity-free, you need a combination of good oral hygiene, healthy eating habits, and regular visits to the dentist. Eating sweets isn’t really forbidden, but you should rinse your mouth immediately after eating sugary cereals, candy, ice cream, and cakes. Chewing sugarless gum can also help eliminate food particles stuck in teeth after a meal.
EmergencyDentistsUSA.com prepared a very informative infographic detailing good habits and practices that will help you improve your oral health care habits. The infographic also contains a list of toothpaste ingredients to avoid, as well as a recipe for making your own toothpaste! Read and be on your way to having pearly-white teeth and a perfect smile!
