Keeping your teeth and gums healthy is important to the health of your entire body, as oral cavities cavities, inflammation, and infections can lead to heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, and kidney disease. Here are some tips to help you strengthen and keep your teeth and gums healthy, plus also some ways you can repair any current tooth decay.
Strengthen Your Teeth
Eating the right foods and taking proper supplements when your body needs them are important steps in keeping your teeth healthy. It is important to take in enough calcium with foods, such as dark green leafy vegetables, almonds, and foods fortified with calcium to make sure your body has enough to replenish your teeth and bones with this mineral. Without sufficient calcium, your teeth will not be able to keep a strong outer layer of enamel to help prevent cavities.
Along with calcium, it is important to get plenty of vitamin D, which helps your body absorb the calcium you take in. You can get vitamin D from drinking milk, eating fatty fish, egg yolks, cheese and vitamin D-enriched foods like mushrooms. Moderate exposure to the sun can also boost your body's vitamin D levels.
Fluoride has also been found to keep your teeth strong against cavities, as it has been found to reduce the rate of cavities by up to 60 percent. Fluoride is found naturally in some foods and is also added to water sources, toothpastes, and mouthwashes to help you protect your teeth. And getting plenty of the minerals phosphorous and magnesium along with vitamin A and beta carotene are important for the health of your teeth. You can also supplement your diet by taking vitamins that contain these elements.
Clean Your Gums and Teeth
A large basis behind keeping your teeth and gums healthy is to clean them regularly. This prevents the build-up of plaque, which can harden into tartar if it is not removed. Tartar can allow bacteria to work away at the enamel of your teeth, causing cavities. Tartar can also irritate your gums, causing infection and inflammation.
It is recommended to brush your teeth two times per day for two minutes each time. Make sure you are brushing with a soft-bristled tooth brush so you don't wear away at your tooth enamel or irritate your gums. Remember to replace your toothbrush every three to four months to help you efficiently and thoroughly keep your teeth clean. Then, it is also recommended to floss your teeth each day to help remove plaque build-up and food particles that may accumulate between your teeth.
You can also practice daily oil pulling in addition to regular brushing to help keep your teeth clean. Oil pulling removes harmful cavity-causing bacteria, plaque, and toxins from your mouth and also whitens your teeth.
Place one to two teaspoons of coconut oil into your mouth in the morning before you eat or drink anything. Swish the oil around your mouth for 20 minutes, then spit the oil into the trash. Rinse your mouth with clean water, then brush your teeth, as usual.
Repair Tooth Decay
When any of your teeth have become damaged by cavities, which have destroyed their structure, root, or strength, you can talk to your dentist about procedures to repair the strength and form of your teeth. Repairing damaged teeth is important, as your teeth provide you with the ability to chew your food, talk, and also helps improve your appearance. And, when you experience tooth loss, it can later result in the loss of your jaw and facial bone structure.
Your dentist can discuss options to repair part of your tooth damage with the use of dental implants, fillings, dental crowns and other restorative procedures. Each of these options can be used to repair and rebuild your teeth according to the condition of your remaining teeth and to restore your smile. To learn more, click this link.
