Dental Questions and Answers For A Healthier Smile

Bottled vs. Tap Water

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that helps prevent tooth decay. If your main source of drinking water is bottled water, you might be missing out on the decay-preventing benefits of fluoride, according to the American Dental Association. Most bottled waters do not contain optimal levels of fluoride and some do not contain any at all. If you just prefer drinking bottled water, consider using tap water in other ways, such as when preparing meals and for mixing juices and powdered drinks.

Carbonation can cause decay

Sugar in soft drinks, fruit juices, and sports drinks can lead to tooth decay. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), acid is produced each time sugar comes in contact with the bacteria in your mouth. This acid eats away at your teeth for about 20 minutes after you take a sip and this acid can result in cavities. Unfortunately, diet soft drinks and carbonated water aren’t any better. The ADA says that most soft drinks also contain phosphoric and citric acid, which can cause tooth erosion. To improve your dental health, you should try to limit your soft drink consumption and instead snack on nutritious foods. Other dental health tips include making sure you brush twice a day, floss once a day, and see your dentist regularly for a check-up.

Latest dental health tip: cranberry juice

One of the latest dental health tips to prevent tooth decay and gum disease is probably right in your refrigerator. Cranberry juice has been hailed as a healthy beverage choice, but it also appears to stop the bacteria that causes cavities and gum disease, according to preliminary research from the University of Rochester. In one study, two doses of a beverage with 25 percent cranberry juice stopped bacteria from clinging by as much as 85 percent.

Say ‘cheese’ for a healthy smile

Cheeses such as Monterey Jack, aged Cheddar, and Swiss can fight cavities when eaten as a snack or at the end of a meal. Cheese helps stimulate saliva, which flushes sugars and starches away from the teeth, and neutralizes harmful acids. The calcium, phosphorous, and other nutrients found in cheese are also helpful in rebuilding tooth enamel.

Besides eating the right foods, you can help maintain your overall dental health by following these dental tips: floss once a day, brush twice a day, and schedule regular dental check-ups.

ABC’s for dental care

Here are some dental health tips to help maintain your children’s bright smiles…:

Arrange dentist visits. Schedule regular dentist appointments and help your children learn good brushing and flossing habits.
Be cautious. Talk to your dentist about getting a mouth guard if your child is involved in sports or recreational activities to help prevent injuries to the mouth.
Cut down on sugary drinks. Encourage your children to avoid soda, sports drinks, and fruit drinks by packing bottled water for them.
Dictate your checkup schedule. Make appointments for your college students far in advance to make sure your dentist can see them during breaks from school.
Encourage healthy eating. Talk to your children about making healthy snack and food choices at the school cafeteria.
Focus on you. Help your children learn good dental health habits by setting an example through brushing and flossing daily, eating nutritiously, drinking lots of water, and regularly seeing your dentist.

Dental health tips for babies

Babies need good dental health, too. Once your baby has a tooth, you can wipe it and the gums with clean gauze or a cloth. Once two teeth begin to touch, you can floss your baby’s teeth. Within six months of the eruption of the first tooth, you should take your baby to the dentist, according to the American Dental Association.

Brush up on toothbrush care

Most dental health tips focus on caring for your teeth, but it is also important to extend this care to your toothbrush. Here are some dental health tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on caring for your main tool, the toothbrush:

Don’t share toothbrushes. This can increase your risk for infections.
Make sure that toothbrushes stored in the same holder do not touch. Also, make sure you clean the holder frequently.
After brushing, thoroughly rinse your toothbrush with tap water to remove leftover toothpaste and debris, air-dry, and store in an upright position.
Replace your toothbrush every three or four months. If bristles look worn or if you’ve had a cold, sore throat, or flu, your toothbrush might need replaced sooner.
Do not routinely cover your toothbrush or store it in a closed container, this can promote bacterial growth.
It is not necessary to disinfect your toothbrush.

Fighting tooth decay in preschool

Even though dental health continues to improve for many Americans, as many as 28 percent of children aged 2 to 5 have tooth decay, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s a 4 percent increase from the study from 10 years earlier. Many people do not know that tooth decay is more common among young children than any other chronic illness. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, without preventive dental care, the effects of tooth decay on a child’s development can be striking:

Untreated cavities in children can be associated with growth, learning and speech problems, and can even result in costly emergency room visits.
Tooth decay can last a lifetime.
Improper oral hygiene can increase the risk of developing heart disease, suffering from a stroke, or having a low birth-weight baby later in life.

Dental tips to soothe sensitive teeth

If sensitive teeth are ruining the enjoyment of your favorite foods, see your dentist. If your dentist rules out cavities and fractures, the cause of your sensitivity could be due to worn tooth enamel, a cracked tooth, or an exposed root, according to the American Dental Association. Here are some tips that may help:

Avoid over-brushing.
Keep gums from receding by brushing them correctly with a soft toothbrush.
Your dentist may suggest brushing with a desensitizing toothpaste.
If this fails, your dentist may apply a fluoride gel to strengthen the enamel and reduce the transmissions.
If receding gums are to blame, bonding agents can seal the roots of sensitive teeth.
For severe, persistent hypersensitivity, your dentist may recommend a root canal if you do not respond to the tips above.

Smile: You’re on vacation

Here are some dental health tips for keeping your mouth healthy during vacation:

When traveling abroad, make sure you brush your teeth with bottled water to avoid any microorganisms in foreign water that can make you sick.
Store your toothbrush in a travel container with air holes so bristles can dry.
Eat a well-balanced diet and choose your snacks carefully. Try to stay away from sticky, sugary snacks and beverages.
Protect your lips with sunscreen.
Carry emergency numbers for your dentist.

Dental health tips for baby bottles

Bottles given at naptime or bedtime can cause baby teeth to decay over time. Bacteria in your baby’s mouth and the natural sugar found in fruit juice, soda, and even milk and formula can linger, resulting in acids that can erode teeth enamel. Here are some dental health tips to help avoid the problem:

After feeding, wipe your infant’s gums with gauze or a damp washcloth.
Don’t allow your baby to fall asleep with a bottle.
Never dip a pacifier in any type of sweetened syrup or liquid.
Teach your baby to drink from a cup as soon as possible.

These dental questions and answers are brought to you by HumanaOne who offers individual dental and vision plans in the US.