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Staff Writer-Bojesen Hagan
Dental care is important for a healthy mouth, but sometimes it can be pretty expensive. Dental checkups, cavity extractions, braces, and root canals are just a few of the expensive dental procedures that people get each year. If you want to save money on dental care, read the following article.
If you are above 50 years old, make sure your mouthwash doesn't contain alcohol. Adults may experience sensitivities which can be increased when you use a mouthwash that contains alcohol. The best mouthwash to use is alcohol-free with fluoride added. For optimal results, use it twice a day.
Brush your teeth twice a day to prevent tooth decay. When you brush, make sure to massage the gums with your toothbrush and to keep brushing for at least two minutes. Dentists recommend two minutes as a minimum amount of time to brush if you want health teeth and gums.
If you want to boost your chances of selecting a good dentist, be sure to ask friends and family members for referrals. Ask them which dentist they use and get their opinions on the service, costs, and quality of care. Their honest assessments can be invaluable as they save you time and effort in your research.
Don't assume that just because oranges and orange juice are touted as healthy for your body that they are healthy for your mouth. The acidic nature of this and related foods start wearing down on your enamel immediately. You can have them, but brush immediately after consuming anything involving heavy concentrations of oranges.
If you notice that you are getting a lot of cavities, it may be time to change what you are drinking. Carbonated soft drinks break down the enamel on your teeth and should be avoided to help protect your dental health. If you must drink a carbonated soft drink, immediately brush your teeth after drinking a serving.
Cleaning the area between the tooth and the gum is simple when you tilt your brush 45 degrees to ensure the bristles get beneath the gum itself. This is as important to do to keep dental health high as flossing in the same area of your mouth, so make a point of it.
Do you enjoy chewing ice? You should get rid of this habit as soon as possible. Ice can crack and chip teeth and cause sensitive reactions to the cold. Instead of chewing nice, chew on sugarless gum. Avoid putting ice into your drinks until you are no longer tempted.
Fruit juice is healthy for your body, but too much can end up damaging your tooth enamel. Always brush your teeth after you eat or drink these products. This minimizes damage to the tooth enamel.
If you have braces or partials, you should consider using an oral irrigator to help keep your teeth clean. An oral irrigator should be used in addition to regular flossing and brushing. The oral irrigator effectively flushes food particles from between your teeth and brackets by using pressurized water.
Some advice you read will say to brush your teeth after eating citrus or foods with lemon, but avoid this advice! Acidic foods make your enamel softer, and you can damage your teeth if you brush. A good alternative is to simply rinse out your mouth and pop in some gum.
Eat more crunchy vegetables. Vegetables like carrots and celery contain nutrients and vitamins that help your teeth and gums. Not only that, but they also help to clean your teeth. Eating them helps to rid your teeth of food debris and plaque. They work very much like natural tooth brushes.
It can be quite uncomfortable to be intimately engaged in a conversation with someone who has horrible breath. Maybe it is something they ate, or just plain old bad dental care habits. Whatever the case may be, a good way to help yourself out of this situation is to carry around gum or mints. Have one yourself and offer them one at the same time. This makes a polite gesture a successful covert operation.
Teeth whitening products can work, but sometimes they cause more trouble than they're worth. They can weaken enamel and leave your teeth in a condition where they can easily break or develop cavities. It's best to talk to your dentist about teeth whitening choices which they recommend for your needs.
Be sure to get any chips or cracks in your teeth as soon as possible. When you have a cracked or chipped tooth, you are giving germs and bacteria a great place to hide. Obviously, when you have these problems fixed, bacteria and germs have nowhere to go. Fluoride mouthwash can also help.
Floss your teeth often. You know you need to brush a couple times a day, but did you know flossing is just as important? You should always floss after meals, and along with your tooth-brushing routine. Keep get more info in your car, desk, or purse so you always have it on hand.
Avoid foods and drinks that stain your teeth. This will help keep your teeth white for a longer time. If you do consume foods or drinks that will stain your teeth, brush immediately afterwards. You can also use over the counter teeth whitening methods or professional whitening to keep your teeth white.
Floss tooth by tooth. The initial compulsion is to rush through flossing your teeth. Flossing isn't anyone's favorite part of an oral health regiment, but it must be done. And when you do it slowly, tooth by tooth, you are more likely to catch particles of food that are stuck in your teeth.
Use a tongue scraper twice a day. A tongue scraper helps to remove plaque and bacteria that causes bad breath. A tongue scraper is preferred over a toothbrush because it removes more bacteria from the tongue. If you have difficulty using a tooth scraper, ask your dentist for instructions on the proper way to use a tongue scraper.